Saving The Villain
by DreamyLoner
Summary: Another failed robbery. Another betrayal by his twin. A fatal duel between the hero and the thief. An injured opponent. An unexpected sense of sympathy. After almost killing Lifty in their fight, Splendid somehow decides to save his villain for once. Little does he realize this incident is going to change their lives forever. WARNING: yaoi, slash, bromance. Lifty x Splendid.
1. Another Foul Encounter

**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to Mondo Media.

**Remarks: **All characters are humanised.**  
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It was probably the worst day in the week.

Lifty glared at Shifty, his emerald eyes gleaming with fury. The alarm kept wailing, its deafening noise sending chills down their spines.

"Damn it. I thought you took care of the security system!" Lifty howled, covering his ears with both hands.

"Stop yelling at me. It's your fault as well!" Shifty retorted.

"Now what?"

"Get these out and run for life!" Hastily, Shifty heaved a bag of stolen merchandises up onto his back and scooted away.

"Hey!" Lifty cursed as he struggled with his own bag of commodities. Apparently, Shifty had left him the heaviest bag to carry. For a second, he thought of giving up on what he had stolen but then it would mean all the trouble they went through was completely in vain. Certainly, Shifty wouldn't be generous enough to share his loot with him either.

"Screw you, bro." Lifty gritted his teeth and with all his might, swung the bag onto his shoulder. It was amazing how the twin thieves got their incredible strength. After all, they exercised regularly to make themselves stronger.

Lifty trotted towards the door. The squealing alarm got louder, almost piercing his ears. He swore if he made it out successfully, he would kill his brother. He had every good reason to loathe his twin. Shifty was always the one who dragged him into hassle and misery. Those silly, brainless ideas of his often plunged the two into immense trouble, like this time. He could still remember how Shifty had assured him that the security system was sealed and nothing would probably go wrong tonight. And now, look what was happening. The first sight of danger was enough to send Shifty running off and abandoning Lifty. They never cooperated well in any robbery. Something always went wrong. And Lifty was often the very one to pay the price.

Lifty stopped at the store's entrance and gasped.

"Fuck." He muttered under his breath. He couldn't imagine he was that unfortunate. Being dumped by Shifty midway through their mission was awful enough and now a self-claimed, amateur superhero was floating in front of him.

"So we meet again, Lifty." Splendid smirked and crossed his arms.

"Not so fast." Lifty's lips curved into a cunning smile as he started rummaging through his pockets. He knew just the way to defeat the hero if only….if only…oh crap, he hadn't any kryptonut! Of course, he didn't have it. Splendid basically destroyed it the last time they had a duel. No wonder Shifty had fled so fast!

"Searching for something, huh?" Splendid strode forwards, which made Lifty back away. He dropped his bag and made an abrupt turn. He only ran for a few meters before being caught by Splendid.

"You don't have the kryptonut this time, do you?" Splendid smiled. "Not much luck, I see."

"Let me go, loser!" Lifty squirmed manically but the hero was too strong. The greenette was basically nothing against him without the kryptonut.

"You're coming with me, Lifty." Splendid said grimly. "To the police station."

"No! Fuck you! I ain't going back to the prison!" Lifty roared and began kicking. "It's Shifty's fault! Go arrest him!"

"I will after I'm done with you. Now don't you…"

Before Splendid could continue, Lifty had accidentally kicked his crotch.

"Ouch!" The hero cried in pain and released Lifty. Seizing the chance, the notorious thief scurried away. However, it took Splendid less than five seconds to clutch his vest and pulled him back. Lifty collapsed onto the ground.

"Damn you. It hurts." Splendid yawped furiously. Lifty couldn't help laughing.

"Let's say, shitty hero, it's not like you have any balls under your pants, do ya?"

Splendid was beyond exasperated but he had better thing to do than to argue with him. Mercilessly, he snatched his wrist and started walking.

"Hey, let go!" Lifty barked but Splendid ignored his futile struggles. He was going to lock him up no matter what. This boy had caused enough trouble in Happy Tree Town, always stealing, robbing, burgling and pocket-lifting with his twin. And not to mention he had killed Splendid once with the kryptonut. He still bore in mind how the twins fucked up his life and ruined his hero reputation. If a hero couldn't even catch a pair of thieves, he might as well commit suicide in shame.

"I say, let go!" Lifty shrieked at the top of his lungs but it only made Splendid tighten his grip around his wrist. Moaning in agony, Lifty suddenly remembered the presence of a combat knife in his pocket. Without hesitation, he pulled out his weapon and stabbed Splendid's shoulder. The hero wannabe let out a soft groan as blood spilled out from his wound. He glowered at his attacker. Lifty raised his arm again and attempted another strike. Yet this time, Splendid clasped Lifty's hand and twisted it forcefully, yanking it out of socket. The young thief screamed at the painful fracture of his bones. Still not giving in, Lifty retaliated by spitting on Splendid's face and biting his neck. The boy cried as Lifty tore out a slice of flesh with his teeth. Enraged, Splendid shoved Lifty across the alleyway with his inhuman strength. Lifty hit the wall and landed on a stack of trash. Splendid waited for him to get up and fight back but he didn't budge. Gingerly, Splendid trudged towards Lifty. His body twitched and he was lying with his hands clamped over his stomach. Just then, Splendid noticed a glass shard from the trash was jammed into Lifty's body, penetrating his back and belly. Lifty whimpered. Blood seeped through his fingers and dripped down to the ground.

Shocked, Splendid immediately dashed towards Lifty and removed the shard from his stomach. Lifty blurted out a heart-breaking cry and he started coughing up blood.

"Hang in there." Splendid furrowed his brows, not really knowing what to do. Was he supposed to call an ambulance now?

"Cur-Curse you…bastard he-hero." Lifty managed to grunt.

"Don't speak or you're gonna die." Splendid said, lifting him up.

"Put m-me down!" Lifty commanded with which Splendid did not comply. The next thing Lifty knew was that he was being scooped up in the sky. He had no idea where they were heading to and before he could figure out what was happening, he had passed out entirely.

When Lifty regained his senses again, he found himself in a cozy huge bed. Rays of sunlight crept into the room. He blinked his eyes several times and groaned at the acute pain in his abdomen. Flashbacks of previous events began swirling in his head. The door creaked open and a face ever so familiar came into his sight. The blue-haired boy smiled as soon as he saw him awake.

"Good morning, Lifty." Splendid greeted. He went to the windows and drew the curtains. Lifty immediately ducked as light shone over his pallid face, stimulating his sore eyes.

"Where am I?" Lifty asked.

Splendid gawked at him for a minute before answering. "In my house."

"Holy shit!" Lifty tried to force himself up but the pain was unbearable.

"Hey, don't do that. Your wound will split."

"Then, let it split!" Lifty cried, his eyes brimming with tears. "Weren't you going to arrest me? I'd rather die in prison than in your damn crappy shit place!"

Splendid scowled. "You aren't going to die. It's lucky the glass shard didn't damage your vital organs."

"Yea, that's all I need to know." Lifty's yowled. "Why did you save me?!"

Splendid sighed and settled himself on the couch.

"Okay, I get it. You think I'm pathetic, right?" Lifty said.

"Huh?" Splendid looked at him, confused.

"I knew it. But I don't need your pity, jerk. I don't need you to save me even though I'm all messed up."

"I don't pity you." Splendid said. "I just…"

"It's wrong to save a criminal, hero. You should have let me die there."

"Geez, I don't care if you don't like being saved. Just so you know, as soon as you recover, you're going back to jail." Splendid pointed out. "I'm only having you here so that I can keep an eye on you and to make sure you don't escape!"

Lifty snorted and covered his face with the blanket. The mere sight of Splendid's face disgusted him. To be abandoned by his brother was horrible enough and now being saved by his opponent was far beyond humiliating. He knew he was simply pathetic. Feeble. Helpless. Why did he even agree to follow Shifty in the first place? He should have known better than anyone else none of his ideas ever turned out right. Lifty had only himself to blame for his own adversity, for trusting his twin even realizing he was a selfish, inconsiderate jerk. Right now, Lifty just wished Splendid had let him die. Then, he might come back to life the next day thinking everything was a sheer nightmare.

"Err…" Lifty clenched his eyes and moaned. He wondered how deep the glass shard punctured his guts. It was agonizing. It's like someone had lit a fire inside his stomach, burning all his intestines and organs.

"Hey, are you alright?" Splendid tried to pull the blanket off him but Lifty smacked his hand.

"Don't touch me!" He roared. His eyes were welled up with tears. The ache was draining his energy and consciousness.

"Look, you won't get any better if you don't let me help you." Splendid said nonchalantly. Not that he really cared about Lifty's wounds, he was just aware of his pain. Having died once himself, he now understood how it felt to be an ordinary human. People in the town went through crazy shit every day. The infinite loop of constant death and resurrection was horrendous. They perished in the most terrifying and excruciating ways one could ever imagine. Splendid was different because he usually had his supernatural qualities to shield him from any sort of physical harm. Other citizens, however, had no protection whatsoever. Splendid could well comprehend how Lifty was suffering from his gash. Soon, blood completely drenched the bandages and Splendid had no choice but to take down Lifty by force. Killing him wasn't his first priority. He just wanted to get this thief imprisoned. He didn't expect he would have hurt him so severely during their fight.

"W-What the fuck are you doing?!" Lifty bawled, flailing his arms attempting to punch Splendid but to no avail. Both of his hands were grabbed by Splendid.

"I gotta change your bandages. Your wound is splitting." Splendid said.

"I told you, just let it split!" Lifty wailed. "I don't care anyway. Why do you even bother with it? Just let me die!"

Splendid gulped, startled by Lifty's words. The younger boy was crying, which was definitely an unsightly scene. Tears were cascading down his swollen cheeks. Splendid couldn't fathom why Lifty was so relentless. After all, he was just trying to help. If Lifty thought being saved by him was mortifying, he shouldn't have committed any crime. Then, he wouldn't have to encounter him.

"Stop being such a sissy, Lifty!" Splendid hissed. Well, those words actually worked. Lifty stopped persisting and lay back. By then, his blood had sprayed all over Splendid's hands.

"Gosh, why are you so stubborn." Splendid sighed as he tossed away the bloody bandages, revealing a gory slash. The wound cut deep into Lifty's guts and Splendid was almost certain he had to stitch his wound again, before the thief died of massive blood loss.

"Just…stay still and don't move." Splendid instructed, taking a glimpse of Lifty. He was lying restlessly on the bed with his eyes shut. His chests moved up and down unsteadily as he gasped desperately for air. Sweat dribbled down his forehead and his hands were trembling. Splendid had to admit for a second he sympathized with the thief. He was on the brink of death with his face twisted in anguish and torment.

Splendid stormed out of the room and returned with the necessary equipment as fast as he could. He cautiously cleaned Lifty's wound and stitched it back. The entire process was harsh enough to cause the injured male to screech. The scene was distressing and Splendid felt as though his heart was stabbed by a knife. He kept reminding himself what Lifty underwent was nothing comparable to his death by kryptonut. But again, Lifty was only a human. His endurance was limited. He could have passed out.

"There, it should be alright now." Splendid reassured.

Lifty had no idea how long he had slept. Sometimes, he woke up for a very brief moment and he would spot Splendid taking a nap on the couch. Sometimes, he was stuck between dreams and reality, barely able to distinguish anything around him. At dusk, he opened his eyes again and stared blankly at the ceiling. Splendid had given him some effective pain killers and the lesion was no longer torturing him that much. He managed to lift himself up and leaned his back against the pillow. He fluttered his eyes to the couch. Splendid had curled up his body as he slept. His face looked oddly peaceful. Lifty wondered why he was still there. Sure enough, he wouldn't be able to escape now with his injuries. There was no need for Splendid to guard him.

"Oiii." Lifty yelled. Splendid tilt his head but did not wake up. Lifty hurled a pillow at him and the superhero immediately pried his eyes.

"What?" He sat up and gazed back at Lifty.

"Water." Lifty ordered.

"Nah, I'm not your servant." The blue-haired boy said.

"Please." Lifty added.

"Fine." Splendid smirked and got Lifty a cup of warm water.

"So, how are you feeling now?"

"Much better." Lifty murmured.

"Good." Splendid stood up, ready to head for the door but Lifty tugged his sleeves. "Huh?"

"Can you tell me why you're doing this?" Lifty asked bluntly, his eyes shimmering with curiosity. There was an awkward moment of silence between them. Neither of them felt comfortable with each other's glance. Splendid, indeed, did not know how to reply him. Why did he do that? Even his conscience could not answer his question. Lifty was a thief. He was a hero. They were rivals. They should be pleased to watch the other one die.

"I don't know." Splendid shrugged.

"Oh…" Lifty didn't say any more. They spent a minute just ogling each other's face until Splendid broke off the silence again. "I'll bring the dinner up here. You just stay in bed and don't move too much, okay?"

Lifty nodded obediently and let go of Splendid's sleeves. The bluenette smiled and left.

To Lifty's surprise, Splendid cooked him a dinner. Gawking at the tray on his lap, he widened his eyes in disbelief. Displayed on the plate was his favorite dish, Spaghetti Bolognese. Was it a coincidence or did Splendid actually know it was his favorite food? Either way, Lifty was glad. At least, Splendid was a brilliant cook. He could be better off being a houseman instead of going around saving people when what he really did was unintentionally killing them.

"Lifty, is there a reason why you have to be a thief?" Splendid suddenly asked. The question got Lifty dumbstruck for a moment. He perked up and their eyes met. Lifty didn't realize Splendid's face was that handsome before. He never took much interest in examining his facial features anyway. The hero was nonetheless a perfect creation. Every single bit of his body was perfect. He was born with extraordinary beauty, a capable well-built body, superb powers and distinctive talents. He grew up under everyone's great expectations. He was constantly adored and respected by many. _A spoiled kid. An amateur hero wannabe. An ideal public figure._ Someone like him, of course, had no clue why a lowlife like Lifty had to become a thief.

"It's none of your business." Lifty said indifferently, not caring if his rudeness would irritate the hero.

"Just saying, there're always options other than stealing." Splendid sighed and shook his head in dismay.

"Why? Are you trying to convince me or something? I'm not tamed." Lifty said.

"No, I'm just trying to tell you nothing like this would have happened if you didn't become a thief in the first place!"

"As if I need a lecture from someone like you. You spoiled brat."

Splendid, taken aback by Lifty's claim, frowned. He pouted and flopped back in his chair. "And your brother? You aren't tired of him always backstabbing you?"

"So? Why do you…" Before Lifty could finish his utterance, Splendid had leaned in so close to him that they could almost feel each other's breath. The curt intimacy caused Lifty to blush and cringe. He could feel his heart racing.

"W-What the heck are you do-doing….?" He stuttered.

"I'm just trying to help you, Lifty." Splendid said. "You don't have to be a thief. You can always do better than that. I know you're the soft one out of the two."

"What? What soft one? Don't you dare say that again!" Lifty bellowed, balling his hands into fists. His face was still aflame. Splendid smirked and sat beside him on the bed. Gently, he ruffled his dark green hair and a sly grin crawled over his mouth. "Why, Lifty, you're at my place now, don't you forget that. You do as I say. Or I can't guarantee what I might do to you." Lifty shivered as Splendid suddenly blew into his ears.

"Shit, a-are you gay?!" Lifty pushed Splendid away, his face full of angst and fear. The hero chuckled and shook his head. "Not really. But I will think about that. Teasing you is kinda fun, isn't it? Well, going back to what I said earlier about you being the soft one, I guess you now know what I mean?"

Immediately catching his hint, Lifty flushed with embarrassment. He felt like a jerk having stepped into one of Splendid's traps. The hero had just played a prank on him and he didn't even realize it!

"Ughhh….get lost, Splendid!" Lifty snarled, enraged.

"Has anyone told you that you look cute when you're angry?" Splendid tittered.

"Stop messing around. I'm straight, Splendid. I…"

"Don't worry. I'm not so into guys either. You know well I like Flaky." Splendid boasted proudly.

"Nah, you will never get a chance. Flaky has Flippy."

"That war veteran! I'm gonna kill him someday." Splendid growled in frustration.

Lifty giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Lifty scoffed.

"Finished?" Splendid asking, pointing at the plate.

"Yea."

Splendid took the tray from Lifty. Before he turned around, he licked off a trace of sauce that was left on one side of Lifty's mouth.

"Pfft, what the fuck?!" Lifty yelled, his cheeks reddening.

"Ermmm, shouldn't waste that. I'm just trying to lick it clean." Splendid mocked, nibbling his own lips.

"Stop teasing me already!"

"Maybe." Splendid taunted and left.

Lifty had no idea why his heart was thumping like hell. He could almost feel himself exploding in shame. He had just got teased twice, not to mention Splendid had stolen a half-kiss from him. What had he ever done to deserve such a degrading treatment?

At once, he wondered how long he could survive in this damn dreadful place.


	2. Just an Offer

**Lifty's POV**

It had been three days since the bastard hero kept me in his house. That damn cut on my stomach, I must say, took much longer time to heal than I expected. It was starting to get on my nerves realizing after three days lying like a dead meat in bed, I still couldn't walk properly. I wondered if Splendid did stitch my wound appropriately for as far as I knew, I felt like getting a serious infection. I curled up my shirt and examined the gash. Geez, it was gruesome but nope, no signs of infection yet. Perhaps it was just me being paranoid. Honestly, I still had no idea why he would bother to save me. I kept presuming there was more behind his seemingly kind act, like I was thinking the pain killers he gave me might have been some lethal drugs and the food he fed me could be poisonous. But again, it would sound a bit absurd as nothing bad had happened to me. Not yet. Maybe later? I didn't know.

Right, it was the fourth day I was…

_Should I say being captured or held hostage?_

Ha, either way, it did not appeal to me. I stretched out my arms and yawned. Gosh, I had slept in again. It was already…like dusk when I woke up. That would mean I skipped breakfast and lunch. Why didn't Splendid wake me? Errr…not that I really cared about breakfast and lunch but I was starving! I sat up and put my palm on my bandaged wound. Damn, it still hurt like hell but at least it had gotten better. Should I thank the hero for sterilizing and washing it every day? Nah… I didn't feel like showing my gratitude yet. It was his choice to take me in. He could have left me dying… He got all the trouble himself. Oh wait…it was too rude to say that. He saved me when I was on the verge of death and when my blood-related good-for-nothing freak brother abandoned me! Crap, speaking of my stupid brother, where had he gone these few days while I was away? He didn't even seem to have looked for me! Great, that's all I needed to know. I should have known better he's nothing but a heartless jerk. He wouldn't even care if I was eaten alive by Splendid, would he? I hated it when I thought of him… If there's one thing I hated most is being his twin. Whenever we parted, there was this odd, dreadful feeling of loneliness. We could barely separate for a week. That's also why despite everything he did to me, I still stuck up for him.

I looked over my bed and it scared the hell out of me when I saw Splendid sleeping beside me. What the fuck?! How long had he been sleeping right next to me? This was getting ridiculous. I poked his arm repeatedly, trying my best to wake him.

_Man, this guy has some great muscles in his arms._

Damn, he was a heavy sleeper. No wonder he didn't wake me up for lunch. Maybe he forgot it himself! His eyes twitched a little but did not open. I could have slapped his face but I would probably feel bad doing so. After all, he had been taking care of me for the past few days. I sighed and leaned back against my pillow. I struggled to make myself comfortable but it didn't work. Not when there was a guy lying so close to me. I grunted, hoping he would hear that. I should have known he wouldn't because he clung even closer to my blanket!

"Hey…" I muttered, shaking his shoulders, not too powerfully of course. I hadn't got the strength to shake him with violence. If I had, I surely would have done that.

"Emmmm…Flaky…"

_What the hell? Did he just say "Flaky"?_

"W-Why…d-don't y-you go…out w-with meeee…?"

I scowled in confusion. So, the shitty hero was talking in his dream! Haha, it was actually rather fascinating. I heard him whisper Flaky's name several times, each time with an increasingly depressing tone. Was he really that in love with Flaky? Meh, I had to admit I had a slight crush on that girl in middle school. She was really adorable, though sort of tomboyish. I didn't go as far as to ask her out or anything because I knew Shifty would laugh at me if he knew I was dating. Yea, that's my brother. He likes teasing me and calling me names. When he caught me flirting with girls, he would mock me, probably wishing I would mess up everything. I could tell he was just jealous sometimes, though he kept denying it. He said we weren't meant for romantic stuff and instead of getting tangled up in love, we should concentrate on stealing. And look what he had gotten me into! Nothing ever turned out right!

"F-Flaky…" My thoughts were cut off when I suddenly feel a squeeze on my hand. Oh my god, Splendid was seizing my hand. No. No. NO! Shit! He kissed it. That is. I had had enough. I smacked his face and kicked him out of bed. He rolled down and fell onto the ground with a crunching sound. Heheee, that was fun.

"Owwww!" He cried in pain as he slowly got back up onto his feet. "That hurts! What's that for?!" He shrieked.

"Look, I ain't your Flaky. Stop kissing my hand, okay?" I said.

Immediately, he blushed and stumbled backwards. His cheeks were now as red as his mask.

_Hey! I wonder what he looks like without the mask. Does he also wear a mask while he sleeps at night?_ I thought to myself.

"S-Sorry. W-What did I say?" Splendid turned away to avoid my taunting eyes.

"Ha, so our hero does get dirty sometimes." I lied. He was utterly embarrassed then. He cowered in one corner with a hand over his mouth. I couldn't help laughing.

"Ughhh…please don't tell anyone about it, Lifty…" Splendid said, his blue eyes sparkling with plea.

"I'll think about it." I said.

"No! Promise me, don't tell anyone about it, especially Flaky!" Splendid said nervously, grabbing the collar of my shirt. Man, his hands were trembling. Did he actually take things so seriously? I chuckled at his silly expression. He didn't even remember what he said himself during a dream, eh?

_Now, that's really funny._

"Right right. Just let go of me already." I shoved his hand away. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat back on the chair.

"Good heavens, that saves my life." He said with a faint smile. He had freaked out so badly that he was actually sweating! I couldn't see why he had to get so apprehensive. I was, after all, going to jail. Plus, he didn't really say anything indecent so I got nothing to tell Flaky. Besides, I wouldn't be able to get near her anyway, not with Flippy the psychotic soldier guarding her 24 hours a day.

"Look, why don't you simply ask her out? That will settle everything and you don't even have to dream about kissing her hand!" I said bluntly. Splendid widened his eyes, clearly dumbfounded. "What? I'm just saying my point." I asserted. All at once, he bit his lips and looked down at the ground, fiddling with his fingers anxiously. I had never seen this side of Splendid before. He looked…well…so melancholy and frustrated. It's like the earth had ceases turning. He was often the optimistic and cheerful type. Even after he accidentally killed the ones he was trying to save, he would just shrug and smile as if it was no big deal.

"I did." After what seemed like an eternity, he finally answered. "I did ask her out. More precisely, I've never stopped asking her out!"

_What? "I've never stopped asking her out!" That 's like the most anomalous utterance I have ever heard in my life._

"Oh, but you failed."

"Yes! She doesn't really…like me that much. She said I'm too good for her…but again, it's just an excuse. Maybe I don't love her as much as Flippy does." Splendid sighed. "I guess…most good girls do fall for bad guys, right?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I threw the question back at him. He blinked blankly at me.

_Ugh, what is this feeling that keeps stinging my heart? I can't actually sympathize with him, can I? The hero's love affair is the last thing I am interested in._

"You're right. You won't understand anyway. I've never seen you date a girl." Splendid sneered. Alright, that actually pissed me off!

"I understand you." I pouted.

"You do?"

"Yea. Like you love someone but that someone doesn't love you back just as much. You're constantly being taken for granted but you'll still go for it. You don't mind being used and tossed away like a piece of trash. You dream about that person every day and night wondering if your feeling can ever be returned. That is what you're trying to say, right?"

"W-Well…" Splendid stared at me in astonishment.

_Did I surprise him that much? I swear I actually know more things about love than he does, if you ask me. To start off, it's not true that I have never dated. I did back in high school. Once or twice. Secondly, with a family member like Shifty always hanging around you, you just can't stop loving and loathing a person at the same time. Holy shit, what am I saying? Does that mean I love Shifty? Yea right, brotherly love maybe. I do dream of him occasionally. Every time I die and wake up in the hospital the next day, I always hope the very first person to greet me is Shifty. And yes, he is always the first thing I see. He is either sitting at the bedside looking at me with guilty eyes or lying on the bed next to mine. I have got so accustomed to him always bossing around and abusing me that I don't even care if he still loves me as his brother or not. It's hard, you know, to not give up on someone who never stops backstabbing you but coming back to apologize to you and asking for forgiveness afterwards._

"You asked why I'm a thief. Because we were born to be one." I said. "We ain't like you, Splendid. You've got everything you want. A complete childhood. A warm family. An intelligent brain. Super powers. Good grades. And…well…everything! If your sole trouble is love, I can understand it all. But no, you don't and you won't ever understand us. A hero like you doesn't even have to save someone like me."

"Lifty, you get me all wrong. I am not as perfect as you think I am…" Splendid argued. "My life is kind of...messed up. All those super powers don't really matter when you can't even save a person properly. You think I've got everything I want? Ha, no. Nobody knows what I want. Nobody wants to know either. I want friends but I don't have any. People admire me simply because I'm a hero not because of whom I really am. I want Flaky but she doesn't love me back. I want someone to help figure out what goes wrong in me but what everyone does is applauding even if I suck at saving people. Damn, why is everyone faking so much? But again, I'll say being poor doesn't give you a reason to steal. You always have a choice. We all do. The only reason why I'm fighting against you and Shifty is because I'm trying my best to make this town a better place. It's the only thing I can do."

I glanced at Splendid in awe. For a moment, I didn't know how to respond to him. I never thought he was confronting so many problems with his life. Again, he might be lying. It could be trick he was playing on me, trying to convince me to abstain from stealing. Yet…his expression was ever so sincere and his voice so subtle. He didn't look like he was telling lies. He was truly confessing something about him. Now, why would he do that? In front of me? In front of his enemy?

"Lifty, I'm offering you a choice." Splendid stood up and walked towards me. "I won't take you to jail if you give up on your criminal behavior. You can work and earn your own cash. Admit it, it's even more effective than robbing a bank. You two never get any loot successfully, do you?"

"Just why are you saying this to me?" I loured at him.

_I knew it! He's just trying to get me off stealing after all!_

"It's your choice. This life is yours. You decide what to do with it. I'm not doing this out of sympathy, so don't get it wrong. I'm doing this for the sake of the community. You and your brother have already caused enough damage to our society. I bet you're also exhausted always being chased down by me. If you choose another path, we may all lead a better life."

_Funny he should say that. He's actually the one who's caused enough damage to our town, lol._

"And how do you think it will work?" I asked, half laughing. "People hate us to death. You think they will let us work at their place? Stop proposing stupid ideas. It's meaningless. I say, we were born to be a thief so a thief we shall be. Forever!"

"Then I will have no choice but to get you imprisoned." Splendid said, shaking his head in disappointment. "It's not actually that difficult. I can always help you get a job if you want. The grocery store down the street is recruiting a new salesman. If you're fine with it, I can have a talk with Petunia and you will get a place for sure."

"I'm not taking your favor!" I bawled. "What do you think I am? A beggar? A homeless stray? I don't need your help! Do I have to repeat it again? I DON'T NEED YOUR FUCKING PITY!"

"It's not out of pity!" Splendid yelled. "I'm doing it because I feel like doing so. I won't pity someone like you. If you've already given up on your own life, then let it be. I don't care. I'm just giving you a friendly offer. That's all. Nothing more than that. As said, I'm doing it for my own good as well!"

"Yea, right, whatever." I snorted and looked away. He was so angry that he was clenching his fists and gasping heavily. For a second, I thought he was going to punch me.

After a long moment of pause, he calmed down and sighed. "Well…just remember, it's an offer. Take it or not, it's your choice. You always have a choice." With that, he slowly walked out of the room, leaving me in deep contemplation.

* * *

**Splendid's POV**

I was only offering him an alternative. No, I wasn't doing it out of sympathy. I wouldn't pity someone as wicked and vulgar as him. Whether he took my offer or not, it didn't matter to me. Either way, my duty remained. I was just trying to help. Yea, he's right. Our lives never crossed. Someone like me would never be capable of understanding someone like him. I only knew where my responsibility lay. I had to guarantee the safety of my people. If he was a thief, then I would have to arrest him. For the sake of the entire population.

On the fifth day, he hobbled downstairs. I did not know why but I actually went over to help him.

_Gosh, what am I thinking? Why would I bother helping a criminal? _

Still, the sight of him limping helplessly stung my heart. He was injured, as I reminded myself. He was nothing more than a wounded person who needed care and attention. It seemed that he was also disgusted by the fact that he couldn't move successfully without relying on my assistance. He placed one arm around my shoulder in an attempt to balance himself. He was sulking and making grimaces. I could tell he was feeling undignified. Though I couldn't deny the throbbing pain in his stomach was torturing him, to a point that he couldn't care less about debasing himself in front of me. I wasn't the usual kind to feel pleased just because I could see my enemy suffering.

_His being a thief and his being injured are two different affairs._

With much difficulty, he tottered towards the couch. He let go of my hand and turned away. Wait…was that a blush on his face? That was funny. I thought he felt mortified, rather than embarrassed. Never mind. I strolled back into the kitchen and prepared for dinner. Let's say…I actually ran out of pasta so I decided to try something else. I made him a bowl of porridge, which indeed wasn't satisfying for him.

_But hey, who's the boss here? He's at my house, man! He'll have to eat whatever I cook for him. OKAY?_**  
**

He frowned at the porridge and started twiddling his fork. I rolled my eyes and quickly got him another plate of meatballs. His face lit up all at once. _Damn meat addict. _I smirked. For a second or two, he did look sort of adorable throwing a tantrum. I had always been told the twins crave for meat like crazy. They never had any meal without meat involved. Alright, obsessive carnivores they were. It's still none of my business, in fact. I wouldn't actually meddle in people's preferences for food. Anyway, he was eating my food, that's all I concerned. I was a bit annoyed with him eating up all the meat stock at my house for the past few days. Geez, that would mean I had to go grocery shopping sooner or later.

"Yo, aren't you eating?" Lifty's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I shook my head and mumbled. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh." Was I imagining things or was he actually looking rather…disappointed? Did he expect me to dine with him or what?

"Thanks for everything."

Well, that was…totally unpredicted. He just…thanked me? I widened my eyes, scratching the back of my neck trying to figure out what was going on. Why was my heart thumping uncontrollably? MAN, I got grateful remarks from people all the time, right? I saved lives and people always thanked me. But this time…it felt different. It just didn't feel right. My enemy was looking at me as if I was his greatest savior.

_No._ I said in my own mind. _Please, don't stare at me like that, Lifty! It's…creeping me out. It's sending chills all over my body. Fine! I can feel your gratitude. Now please just don't…_

"And sorry if I've troubled you."

_What? Why is he apologizing all of a sudden? And more importantly, what's he getting at?_

My mouth gaped open as I gazed at Lifty in shock. Surely, I wasn't…foreseeing that. First, he thanked me. Then, he apologized. Why was that?

"D-Did you er…find Shifty?" He asked.

"No…I didn't search in detail but I'm sure he's hiding somewhere." I answered. "Probably out of our zone. He should be lurking about the boundaries."

All at once, Lifty's expression sank. I had never seen him that…depressed before.

_It's like something is far worse than the gash across his abdomen._

"I think he knows you're with me." I said.

"That's the point." Lifty sighed. "I thought he would come and find you."

"Well, he didn't."

"Yea, I know…"

_Okay, I think I'm getting it. So, Lifty is expecting his twin brother to come and somehow rescue him from me but he's totally disappointed when Shifty hasn't shown up for the past few days. Clearly, he's abandoned and possibly forgotten about Lifty. Is that the reason why he's looking so miserable?_

"What do you expect? It's not the first time he's dumped you, right?" I pinpointed. "Look, I'm not trying to manipulate you or anything, in case you think I am. I'm just saying if he doesn't mind you getting hurt, arrested and imprisoned, I don't see why you're still willing to stick up for him. Fine, you can say I understand nothing because I ain't your brother. But to be honest with you, I have a twin myself and I think you all know whom he is. Splendont and I never get along but that doesn't matter. We just take different paths. I know most of the stealing ideas didn't come from you. Your brother dominates most of the heist."

"You don't get it…He's all I've got…" Lifty said calmly.

"I know. So? I'm always alone. Nobody even cares. You still have yourself to cling to. At least, you have me."

_What? Shit, what have I just said? OH MY GOSH, I don't mean that._

"Huh?"

"I mean…" I stammered. Things couldn't get worse when you said the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person._ Quick, Splendid! Defend yourself and come up with a good excuse._ "What I mean is, if you decide to lead a more…proper life and you're afraid you have nowhere to go…maybe you can stay with me?"

"…"

_Okay, I screwed up. I can't believe I'm trying to befriend a criminal who just so happens to be my all-time rival…my destined foe. That's like the most hilarious and outrageous thing ever! Right, I should probably take back my words before this nonsense goes any further._

"I…" We both spoke at the same time. I gasped. I could feel my cheeks reddening. Damn! What could be worse than flushing right in front of your enemy?

"Okay, I did think over what you said yesterday…" Lifty said. "About the offer thingie."

"Yea?"

"I'm taking your offer."

"S-Seriously?" I couldn't believe my ears. Did I just mishear something badly? He was taking my offer? He was willing to quit stealing?

"I'll give it a try…" Lifty continued. "I thought Shifty would come looking for me but like you said…since even my own brother doesn't care about me anyway, I might be better off on my own now. I've always wanted to try other things but I couldn't…mostly because Shifty wouldn't allow me to. He insists on stealing so I have to tag along with him. And…I really don't want to go back to jail…that's for sure."

"That's okay." I nodded understandingly. I was taken aback by surprise when I saw Lifty smile. He actually smiled!

"I was really angry at first because…I thought you were doing this out of pity. But then, I thought it over. I should be glad you didn't kill me or I would most definitely die a painful death." He sneered.

"I only killed you last time because you two were using a kryptonut against me. I wouldn't have gone that far if you didn't try to kill me in the first place." I explained.

"Yea, right. It doesn't matter now, does it? Nah, you've scattered it into pieces. We have nothing else to defeat you."

"Um…Lifty, just saying,if you quit stealing, I'm never going to kill you."

"Look," He cleared his throat and clarified. "I'm only taking your offer. It doesn't mean I want to have anything to do with you. It's not like I want to be your friend or anything. Yea, you saved me, thanks for that. But after this, I'll be leaving soon. That is. Let's pretend nothing's ever happened between us. If I quit being a thief, you quit hunting me down. We're just strangers living in the same town. Okay?"

_Well, what am I supposed to say?_

_It's not like I wanna be his friend either…right?_

_I don't know. I really don't know, actually. Do I need friends? I used to have Flaky but since she's dating Flippy now, I don't think she wants me near her._

"Fine, let's draw a line between us. After I help you get your job, we're done." I said, drawing an invisible line on the table with my index finger.

"Sure. I'll pay you back later, for getting me a job."

"Don't mention it." I said casually, flopping back in my chair.


	3. Mutual Comfort

Lifty straightened his tie and sighed. He still had no idea why he had taken Splendid's offer. Sure enough, he asked for it himself. He certainly didn't want to go to jail, not when Shifty didn't give a shit about him and ran off like a jerk. Did he really want to quit stealing? Not really, but he might give it a try though. Splendid got the point right. Perhaps working might earn him a lot more than stealing. After all, he and Shifty hardly succeeded in any heist.

The previous night's dream still lingered in his head. He had dreamed of Shifty. He saw him carrying his loot and leaving the town alone. Outside, he spent all the money he stole on drinking, clubbing, shopping, gambling and everything... It seemed that he had no problem with leaving Lifty behind. Without his younger twin, he could still live his life just as gleefully.

"Damn, why am I thinking of that bastard?" Lifty cursed, staring into the mirror at his pale face and messy green hair. "If he doesn't care about me, I'll just do whatever I want with my life." He finally concluded. Of course, the idea of getting help from Splendid did not appeal to him, but after spending almost a week with the superhero, Lifty was inclined to think that he might care for him even more than his brother did. Splendid could still be his enemy but he was definitely a kind person, kind enough to take in a thief and turn him into a better person.

The sudden knock on the door startled Lifty. He twitched a little as Splendid entered the room.

"Morning, Lifty." He greeted. He was wearing a blue jacket, a red T-shirt and a pair of denim jeans. He looked casual enough but he was also having a pair of glasses, probably suggesting that he had to work.

"Really, Splendid, do you think people won't recognize you when you're wearing a red mask underneath your glasses?" Lifty said.

"Haha, I suppose so, but I can't take the mask off no matter what." Splendid said.

"Oh, is there a reason why you won't let us see your real face?" Lifty sneered, stepping closer to Splendid.

"No, just, a hero should always conceal his identity, right?"

"Yea, like it's really hidden when everyone knows it's you, Splendid." Lifty taunted.

"Ugh, whatever. Are you ready for work? Come down and have breakfast."

* * *

Lifty followed closely behind Splendid as they strolled down the street. People were throwing questionable looks at them, probably wondering what the hero was doing with a thief. Lifty found it difficult to catch up with Splendid's pace. Even though he wasn't flying, he basically took two steps at one time. Another reason was because Lifty was still rather tentative. He asked himself again if he was making the right choice. Should he go back to Shifty instead?

_"No."_ He shook his head, immediately agitated by the thought of his terrible brother. _"I ain't going back to him. He's left me. We'll see who's gonna lead a better life from now on."_

"Hey, we're here." Splendid halted suddenly, causing Lifty to smash his face onto his back. The greenette looked up. It was just another ordinary grocery store. He could not remember quite clearly if he had tried to rob this place before. The glass door opened automatically and the duo stepped in.

"Hi, Splendid!" Several people greeted the hero eagerly. All were familiar faces to Lifty. Once they caught sight of him, they ogled him in awe. Lifty snuggled behind Splendid, trying his best to avoid making eye-contact with anyone.

"Hey, Splendid." Here came Petunia, a blue-haired, busty girl with a pink flower clip stuck to her bangs. Lifty could have dug a hole and crawled underground because she was someone he and Shifty had mugged before!

"I've brought you a new helper." Splendid stood aside to introduce Lifty, not that he really had to be introduced. Everyone knew him too well. They all recognized him.

"What? I thought you could do better than that, Splendid." The picky girl pouted and crossed her arms, apparently deeming this was a joke.

"Look, Petunia, he is…er…trying to commit himself in proper jobs." Splendid explained and pulled Petunia to a corner. Lifty didn't manage to hear what they were saying. He only saw Splendid mutter something to Petunia.

"Hello, Lifty."

Lifty raised his brows and turned around curiously. No one would bother talking to him. Who could that be?

Ah, he should have known. Only this girl was nice enough to greet everyone, even the most dangerous psychotic killer in the world.

"Oh…er…hi, Flaky." Lifty smiled awkwardly. Somehow, her words made his day. At least, he knew someone was comfortable with his presence. There's also a reason why the twins had never robbed this girl before. She's far too endearing and lovable. One could hardly bear the sight of her weeping, even though the evil counterpart of her boyfriend always makes her cry.

"Good day, isn't it?" Flaky giggled timidly. Lifty blushed all at once. "Yea…"

"I heard from Splendid that you're…gonna change, right?"

"Sort of."

"Good for you." Flaky said with a generous smile. "We can be colleagues. I h-haven't seen you much after we graduated."

"Yea." Lifty remembered always teasing her at school but she always forgave him. He remembered teasing some other girls as well but those like Giggles and Petunia were never to be offended. They would basically take revenge by wrecking your social life spreading rumors to everyone that you were gay or something. They would convince every single person in the same grade that you caught some sort of viral disease or were seriously retarded. By the time you realized how terrifying these bitchy girls could be, there was simply no turning back.

"Well, maybe I sh-should t-talk to them." Flaky said and walked towards Splendid and Petunia. She whispered something shyly. After listening to her for a minute, Petunia finally nodded her head.

"Okay, I only agree to this because of Splendid. And since Flaky doesn't seem to have a problem with you working here, I guess I'll give you trial." Petunia said harshly, hurling a name card at Lifty. "Put this on your shirt and let's get things started."

The day wasn't really as bad as anticipated. The job was considerably easy. Moving stuff around was a piece of cake for Lifty. He had always practised lifting to make his arms stronger so that he could drape a larger sack of loot on his shoulder each time. His existence was a complete blessing to Flaky, who, with her rather petite body, often found it hard to reach the top shelves. Petunia, indeed, kept her eyes on him warily, worrying that he might steal something. Nutty was another person working there. He was totally a pain in Petunia's neck. Clumsy and sugar-addicted, he caused pretty much trouble in the shop, far more than Lifty did to be honest.

Things were going well until Shifty came. He was the last customer Lifty wanted to serve. After a week of going missing, he had returned to the town to look for Lifty. The moment he walked into the shop, everyone froze and gawked at the twins. Lifty was packing some food into a box at that time and as soon as he saw his brother, he widened his eyes incredulously.

"Yo, what's up, Lift~" Shifty was heavily drunk. He was wobbling with a glass bottle in his hand.

"S-Shifty?"

"Hehee…So I heard my brother's started working…" He snickered. "I d-didn't believe it at first but look! What're you doing here?"

"Can't you see? I'm working." Lifty gritted his teeth, his face turning aflame with anger. "Where have you been?"

"You know~ Nothing much. Got out of the town and had some fun on my own." Shifty whistled. "Got myself some beer and girls. What about you? Did Splendid kill you? Haha, told you to move your ass faster, didn't I? You wouldn't have got caught by him if you-"

Before Shifty could continue, Lifty slapped him across the face. The older twin staggered backwards, almost slipping.

"Now, what's that for?" He barked at Lifty indignantly.

"Get out of here." Lifty screeched, pointing to the exit.

"What...What did you just say?" Shifty scowled, not believing his brother was acting so mean to him. He would never dare hit him.

"Go. You're disturbing me." Lifty said.

"What? Is this a joke? I've come to take you home, Lift." Shifty said, tossing the glass bottle onto the ground. Flaky and Petunia watched as it shattered into pieces with a thud.

"Don't worry, I'll clean this up later." Lifty assured the girls and glanced back at Shifty. "You go home alone. I ain't coming with you."

"Stop messin' around, Lift! You can't be actually working, huh? Working isn't for someone like us~ We get things we want directly. Now come on." Shifty grabbed Lifty's hand, trying to drag him towards the door. Lifty swung him off forcefully.

"Shift, listen carefully. I'll only say this once." Lifty cleared his throat and bawled. "It's not the first time you abandoned me midway through the heist. Right, I've got used to that, so I don't mind. It's fine. I could have just died and gotten resurrected. The pain I've gone through for the past ten days probably means nothing to you. While I was waiting for you to come back looking for me, you were spending your vacation outside the town not giving a shit about me at all. That's what bugs me the most. I'm tired. I don't wanna do anything with you again. And it's not like we always get along well, so why don't we take different paths from now on? You do whatever you want and we won't bother each other again, okay?"

"Haha, very funny." Shifty burst into laughter.

"It's not a joke." Lifty said nonchalantly. Shifty ceased laughing and frowned at his brother.

"So, me not finding you. Is that what you're angry about? Now tell me, how was I supposed to find you when you were with that damn hero? Who's stupid enough to turn himself in just to find his own brother?"

"Yea, you're right." Lifty made a faint smile. "I'm not enough for you to risk your life."

"Look, Lift, I know you didn't mean what you said. Come with me and I'll forgive you. There's this new bank across the street. We'll be robbing it together. "

"Fuck off." Lifty shoved Shifty away. Everyone was taken aback by his impulsive act. Even Lifty himself could not believe what he had said. He had never been so rude to Shifty before.

"Seriously, is this what you want?" Shifty asked, enraged.

"Yes, I ain't interested in mugging and robbing anymore. You do it yourself." Lifty declared. "I'm going to abstain from stealing that gets me nowhere. I'll be working here. Now off you go. I won't come home with you. We won't be living together anymore."

"Right, what a brother you are. You think I need you, eh? Nah, I'm only treating you as my lackey. Fine, quit stealing and get yourself some crappy job with lousy wages. I'll see how far you can survive in this game." Shifty balled his hands into fists. "Don't come home then! Stray in the street and do whatever you want!"

With that, Shifty stomped out of the store. For a long while, the place was in sheer silence. Everyone turned their heads to examine Lifty's face. He was trembling in both fury and shock. Something began to sting the corners of his eyes and before he realized it, a stream of tears trickled down his cheeks.

When Lifty left the store in the evening, he was feeling worse than ever. The work went well but he couldn't shake the image of Shifty out of his head. It started raining as he ambled down the street. He didn't really care if he had no umbrella. He simply perked up and let the rain rinse his tears. Every time he fell out with Shifty, he would enter a temporary state of emotional breakdown. He didn't know why but he cared genuinely about his brother. He got depressed whenever they squabbled. Shifty wasn't as sentimental as him though. He usually shrugged it off after having an argument with his twin. Yet, Lifty, always being the sensitive and expressive one, would always feel horrible after being scolded.

Lifty wandered aimlessly in the rain. Something caught his attention when he walked past the park. He squinted and was stunned to see Splendid squatting on a bench. He, too, didn't have an umbrella but he didn't seem bothered by the rain pelting down. He kept his eyes fixated on the ground. As Lifty loomed towards him, he could hear him sob quietly.

"S-Splendid?" Lifty stopped in front of the hero who swiftly took a glimpse of him and wiped off his tears.

"Are you crying?"

"No." Splendid lied and turned away. Lifty sat down beside him. The two remained speechless for a while.

"So, why are you crying?"

"I said I'm not crying." Splendid growled.

"Okay." Lifty sighed. "It's not like you're the only one who's sad."

"What? What's happened?"

"Well, I got into another fight with Shifty."

"Shifty found you today?"

"Yea. He came to fetch me home."

"What did you say?" Splendid gazed at Lifty anxiously.

"Don't worry. I ain't going back with him. That's why we got into a fight." Lifty smiled bitterly.

"I see…" Splendid murmured, fiddling with his hands. "I thought you would follow him home."

"Nah, once I make up my mind on something, I'm gonna do it right." Lifty said. "But I really don't like getting into an argument with him. For some reason, he always has this power to make me feel so bad."

"I know that feeling."

"You do?"

"Yes…" Splendid trailed off and hugged his knees.

"Tell me about it."

"Isn't it obvious?" Splendid smirked.

"Oh." Lifty nodded. There was probably only one thing that could make the hero so bleak. "It's Splendont again, isn't it? What did he do this time?"

"Well, the usual stuff, you know, stealing my role, insulting me in the public, proving to others he's a better hero…"

"No offense, but he really is doing a better job than you." Lifty confessed bluntly but immediately regretted it. He could see Splendid's face shrink into deeper sorrow. "Er…sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright." Splendid cooed. "That's what makes me sad, the fact that he's better…"

In no time, Splendid started whimpering again. Although he buried his face in his arms, Lifty could hear him whine. It was actually quite eerie. He had never seen the hero cry before. In fact, it was hardly believable. Lifty wondered why Splendid was letting him witness this. Wasn't it weird to show his weak side to his…former enemy?

"Hey, what do you say about getting a drink?" Lifty said."We can't stay in the rain forever."

"What drink?"

"I don't know. Vodka or something. If you fancy one, we can go to the bars now."

Splendid contemplated for a moment before lifting up his head. "Sure."


	4. Drink and Weep

**Splendid's POV**

We walked into a pub. I didn't tell Lifty the truth that I couldn't really drink. He would definitely laugh at me.

_Seriously, a 20 year-old dude can't even drink? Ugh, this is going to be the biggest joke ever. Lifty will probably keep bringing this up forever!_

To be honest, I wasn't sure why I agreed to accompany Lifty. I guessed I was too dejected to think sensibly when he invited me for a drink.

I didn't know what kind of pubs we were entering. Lifty said we were going to have a blast so I let him lead the way. The second we flung open the door, some horrible music came piercing our ears. There were spotlights flashing everywhere. On the stage, someone was performing and that person happened to be…

_Disco Bear? What the fuck?_

Geez, I was going to be mentally scarred for life. A middle-aged pervert with an exceptionally eye-catching Afro and a set of completely absurd 70s-styled attire was dancing and moon-walking on the platform, not to mention he was holding a microphone singing a bunch of bullshit. I could nearly feel my ears throb and my eyes bleed. Midway through his show, the orange-haired man began to take off his jacket.

_Ohhh, no no no, don't do it! Don't torture us with this crap!_

"Holy shit…" I heard Lifty cuss quietly beside me. He looked just as flabbergasted. In fact, everyone there was overwhelmed by Mr. Bear's revolting act. Maybe I should go up and arrest him but...no, I didn't feel like doing deeds tonight. I was still glum and all.

"It's okay. Someone will come and grab him sooner or later." Lifty assured. He gestured me to follow him. We settled on a bar stool. I was still struggling to adapt to the deafening music and the awfully bizarre, dazzling environment.

"Who?"

"We'll see." Lifty smirked.

In a fleeting moment, someone booted open the door and dashed towards the stage. I dropped my jaws as I watched Pop climb up the platform and lunge towards Disco Bear with clenched fists.

"Enough bullshit here, Disco. You're drunk again!" Pop bawled, clutching his friend's wrist. Disco Bear, still rambling some silly jokes, snubbed Pop and continued to sing. Irately, Pop snatched the microphone from his hands and tossed it away. One of the audience screeched as it hit his head. Pop proceeded to gather Disco Bear's clothes and dragged him off the stage. He apologised to us with a faint smile.

"What're you…do-doing~" Disco Bear croaked, trying to break free from Pop's grip.

"Fetching you home, brat." Pop growled.

"I don't wanna go home. I still have ten shows to…"

"Oh, shut up."

Pop clamped his hand over Disco Bear's mouth. In no time, he plucked the disgusting man out of the pub. At once, the place returned to peace and serenity. I was still dumbstruck by what I had just seen. I blinked curiously at Lifty, hoping he could grasp a better sense than I did.

"Well." Lifty shrugged. "I told you."

"Are they friends or what?"

"I think they're gay."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Haha, just kidding." Lifty chuckled. "Who knows? They say they've been friends for years. They were classmates in the college."

"Oh." I nodded but there was still something I couldn't understand. "I can't believe someone is Disco Bear's friend. I mean, I've got several complaints from the ladies and occasionally I arrest him for indecent assault. He just never learns."

"Hey, if you live to become someone like him, you will understand how he feels." Lifty taunted. "He's nothing more than a pathetic, lonely old man. I'll suggest he flirt with Pop instead. It seems more promising."

We both laughed.

Lifty tapped the table several times and Mole, the town's blind man, came around with a solemn look.

"Gosh, is there someone else who can serve us?" Lifty asked.

Mole shook his head slightly and remained silent. We both exchanged a grimace. I wasn't so keen on getting a drink when the waiter was Mole. He could have messed up our order or accidentally mixed our alcohol with some drugs for all I knew. Then, that would be the end of our day, not that our day really went that well.

"So, what's your order?" Lifty gazed at me.

"I…er…" I stammered. I really didn't know what the best option was. I paused for a second before deciding to have the same one as Lifty. The one he ordered turned out to be some high-proof liquor. One sip was enough to sicken me. It's like I was seeing stars and my vision sort of went blurred after finishing half of the bottle. Lifty was no better. I couldn't comprehend why he bothered to order a strong one when he couldn't stand it himself. Some time later, we both collapsed to the table.

"Man, t-this is great…" Lifty prattled. "I feel like go-going to Mars…"

"W-What?" I peeked at him, my lids half-opened.

"Maybe someday I should take a rocket from Sniffles and fly into the space." Lifty continued gabbling. Most of his utterances didn't even sound logical to me.

_So, this is how he acts when he's drunk? Jabbering on non-sense stuff?_

"Hey, dude, do you hate Splendont?" Lifty suddenly asked.

"Hate who?" I burped.

"Splendont…"

"Haha." I started laughing hysterically. "You bet. Do you hate Shifty?"

"Sometimes…I feel like shooting him with a rifle." Lifty sneered, nestling his head on my shoulder. He looked like he was going to trip over.

"I'd say…having a twin is problematic…especially one that always steals your role and humiliates you…" I said.

"How did you two end up this way?"

"I don't know. It just…got sparked out of the blue…We started fighting each other in middle school…"

"Oh…Shift and I have been fighting each other since birth! Hahahaha…"

"Yea? And that explains why you're still sticking up for him even if he treats you like a piece of trash."

"Hey! I ain't sticking up for him now. Not now, not ever again." Lifty sat upright and proclaimed. "I, Lester Raccoons, ain't going to care any shit about my brother anymore."

"Lester? Is that your real name?"

"Yea, and yours? Is that Sally or Sarah?" He tittered.

"Damn it, my name's Spencer. Don't call me one of those feminine names."

"Spencer huh? Wow…I see what you did there. From Spencer to Splendid."

"Hey, keep it a secret." I whispered. "I don't want people in the town addressing me with my real name."

"Yea, right, a hero should have a title."

We went on chattering for hours. He babbled on how his parents abandoned him and Shifty when they were kids, how they got hooked on stealing and criminal activities, how Shifty always bossed him around and abused him, how they always ended up getting killed in their heist and so on… At first, I just sat quietly and listened to his stories because I wasn't comfortable with telling people about my stuff. But as Lifty droned on, I began to join him, complaining about my life and everything.

Frankly speaking, I had so much to say. For years, I hadn't been able to share my burden and stress with anyone. In the past, I could easily talk to Flaky because we were close friends. After she started going out with Flippy, I simply got no chance to chat with her. It's not like I had many other friends either. I could only keep all the problems to myself. I couldn't show people how pressured I was because they relied on me, right? I had to look jolly and optimistic. Otherwise, they wouldn't feel secure being rescued by me. Okay, I admit the fact that I never really succeeded in saving anyone. But still, the attitudes matter. I had to retain a positive mentality.

It was either the alcohol affecting my mind or the fact that so much angst had accumulated in me for years that at some point I broke down. I hated myself for being weak. I hated it when I had to cry in front of Lifty. I just felt so…gloomy and desolate. I really needed someone to understand all the hassle I was going through. Sometimes, I blamed God for giving me these inherent superpowers. If I hadn't been born this way, life would possibly have been far better. At least, I wouldn't have to live a life with double identities. It simply tore me apart. In daytime, I had to head off to work like a normal citizen but whenever someone yelled 'Help', I had to fly off in a flash. Perhaps I really should consider letting Splendont take over. I did think about this idea before but again, I had my own morals and dignity. If I gave up saving people, it would appear as though I was yielding to Splendont. Let's say, I was just too vain to actually surrender to someone more capable than me. I wouldn't allow Splendont to take my job and show that all this time, my effort had completely gone down the drain.

"Dude, you look like you're gonna pass out." Lifty patted me on the back and said.

"Funny you should say that." I giggled at his silly remark. "You ain't any better."

"Let's go home, shall we?"

"Yea, about time."

We wrapped our arms around each other and trudged down the street. We stumbled with heavy steps. At any rate, we would be slamming straight onto the ground. I had never been so woozy before. I couldn't even see the road sign properly. Lifty still had a glass bottle in his hand. He wielded it in the air and sang. I whistled alongside him. We probably looked like two hopeless drunk jerks at that moment. We wobbled and slipped, fell down and got back up. Hand in hand, we tramped back home.

When I opened the door, my foot got stuck in the rug. I toppled over and lay flat on the floor.

"Hey, are you alright?" Lifty bent down anxiously. When I didn't respond, he proceeded to heave me up. I groaned with a hiccup. I could see the world spinning around me. Everything was whirling, twirling, swirling...

_Oh God, I'm going to faint._

"Hang in there." Lifty latched the door before hauling me upstairs. As we got near to the bedside, we both tripped. He landed on top of me. I grunted at his weight. It's not that he was heavy or anything, but when he bumped onto me, I felt like vomiting.

"Oops, sorry." He pulled away from me.

"That's better." I grinned, closing my eyes.

I was still vaguely conscious when Lifty went to help take off my shoes. He tucked me into bed and I tugged his sleeves.

"What?" He asked.

"Stay. We haven't finished our chat yet…" I said.

"Go to sleep, Spencer."

I twitched when he called my real name. I didn't want to sleep yet. I wanted another drink to be sure. I yanked his tie and pulled him down with me.

"Splendid?" Lifty cooed. I didn't open my eyes but I kept that smirk on my face.

"So…what were you saying earlier about getting a rocket and flying to Mars? Maybe I can fly you there, haha!"

"Phew, you really have to sleep, dude." Lifty said. We were leaning so close to each other that I could almost feel his breath. He ruffled my hair and ran his fingers over my face. Whatever he was doing I had no idea because I was half-sleeping. Briskly, he removed my mask. I tried to protest but I had not much strength left. I only flailed my arms in an attempt to retrieve my red band.

"Wow…" I heard Lifty gasp. Shit, I knew what was happening.

_There's always a reason why I never like people seeing me without a mask._

"Shit…you're…beautiful…" Lifty complimented. I pried open my eyes and stared straight at him. His eyes were glistening with sheer admiration.

"Is this why you always wear a mask?" Lifty sniggered. "Because you look like a girl?"

"Ugh, don't say it." I snorted. He continued to examine my face and then…and then…

_He kissed me!_

"Pfft…" I wanted to push him off but strangely, I couldn't bring myself to do so. He withdrew from the kiss and nibbled his lips. "Now, that's what I call revenge. I still remember how you teased me the first day you took me in."

"Ha, and I thought you felt annoyed being kissed by a guy?" I quipped.

"No offense, but you really…look so damn hot and attractive."

"What?"

Before I could utter another word, he pressed his lips against mine again. I could smell alcohol from his breath. He had his palms on my chest, pinning me down. My mind completely went blank. I let him glide his tongue into my mouth. Er…I had never kissed anyone before, not to mention it was a guy…It was just intriguing and peculiar. Slowly, he unbuttoned my shirt and reached downwards. I muffled a few moans when he grasped my crotch.

_Gosh, it actually feels good!_

For the next couple of minutes, he kept twiddling and fondling my body. I didn't exactly open my eyes. I simply lay back and permit him to do whatever he wanted. Why? First, I was feeling extremely worn out and dizzy. Second, he was doing such a great job pleasuring me. I knew I would probably wake up the next day regretting everything. This instant though, I couldn't care less. Drunk. Half-conscious. Being told by a guy that I look beautiful. A boy kissing and caressing me. This whole new experience fueled me with excitement. He stripped off my clothes and I could hear him chuck his own garments away. Let's say, what happened soon afterwards would be too difficult to describe, partly because I, myself, was in a half state of dreaming. I could tell Lifty didn't know what he was doing either. We were just…clumsy as hell.

When he began thrusting in and out of me, I arched my back and yapped in pain. He leaned in and started reassuring me. The heat was suffocating. I was panting heavily. At some point, I even suspected that I was running a high fever. He kept ramming into me erratically, an action which was proven only agonizing. I squirmed and struggled but to no avail. The drunkenness had made my body numb. I felt weak against his intrusion. I couldn't believe I would let someone dominate me like this. Suddenly, he grabbed my shaft and started stroking it. I groaned, digging my fingers into the mattress. It went on for what seemed like an eternity. The pain I felt in the beginning had gradually evolved into something unexpectedly enjoyable. I could still barely believe that I was making out with a guy. Sure enough, we were drunk and this incident would basically remain as nothing more than a nightmare when we recalled it in the future. Yet, it felt great._ Just great._ He fucked me hard and shoved himself into me with an incredible speed. I squeaked when he struck a bundle of nerves within me, pushing me over the edge. He, himself, was moaning and puffing all the time. There was simply too much to take in.

_This pleasure. This surprise. This exhaustion. It is so wonderful. It's making me forget all about the sadness and trouble in my life._

Outrageous as it seemed, I indulged in the unique sensation Lifty granted me. I was feeling weak but I totally liked it. All that existed in my mind was nothing but pure lust and pleasure. Near the end, we both got so frantic that we started clasping each other's hair. He kept pounding himself into me until we both came at the same time. He pulled out of me and landed beside me. By then, I could hardly move a muscle. I lay wheezing in heaps of sweat, white haze penetrating my brain.

_Oh gosh, what have we done?_

"Spencer?"

"Y-Yea?" I was surprised I could still speak. I was totally out of breath.

"Good night." He purred and planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

"You too, Lester." I grinned and dozed off.


	5. Rainy Tears

**Lifty's POV**

It was one of those crappy nights again. I got myself so drunk that I forgot everything I did afterwards. I had this wacky, lewd dream about the hero. I didn't know why he kept popping up in my head. In my hazy consciousness, I tucked him into bed and removed his mask, only to be mesmerized by a face ever so beautiful. My mind wasn't so lucid at that time. I must have gone berserk. It would only sound natural, for I had never in my life seen such a gorgeous person. Every single feature of his is close to perfection or in some sense even more attractive than a girl. How could he live with such a girlish, glamorous appearance? It made me wonder if he was really wearing that red band to conceal his identity or the fact that he actually looked quite sissy. My words must have hit him hard when I said that he resembled a girl. He looked utterly irritated, I could tell. The way he bit his lips and pouted was so adorable. It just aroused me even more.

My drunkenness and sexual instincts corrupted my mind. I didn't know what I was thinking. All the time I was staring at him, I could only crave endlessly for his body. I was surprised that he didn't resist my vulgar intrusion. I saw him blush and I heard him pant. It turned me on. Before I realized it, I was fucking him so hard that I felt like ripping him apart. I might as well tear an organ out of his perfectly built figure. He was just so…_wonderful. So alluring. So rape-able._ And I had never foreseen anything like this. Why would I feel kinky with a guy? I mean, yea, sure enough, he is handsome but it didn't give me the sufficient reason to bed him. I simply lost control after kissing him. The kiss was intended to tease him but it evolved into something else. Something so incorrigible and so appalling. The dream proceeded with me thrusting in and out of the hero. He fitted so well in the masochist role. Damn, I totally got carried away when he screamed my name as we both came together. I kissed away his tears and lay beside him, stroking his hair until dozing off. It was awesome and yet…was it a dream?

My eyes twitched as rays of sunlight stung my face. Slowly, I stretched my limbs and yawned. I sat up in bed. I nearly freaked out and shrieked when I saw what was laid bare in my sight. I was...

_What the fuck? How am I…naked?_

And then, reality struck me…It was no dream at all. I pulled the blanket closer to me and blushed in sheer embarrassment. My lower region was feeling a bit sore. It was as though I had been fucking an extremely tight pussy. Only this time, it wasn't a girl who made love with me.

Nervously, I turned around and was relieved to find myself alone in the room. My head was still throbbing. I guessed I must have pushed myself over the limits the previous night, drinking as if there was no tomorrow. Still, we did have a marvelous time together, though it turned into something so shameful in the end. I felt so…guilty.

_Oh wait, did I just say "guilty"? Why?_

I could remember Splendid's expression when I rammed into him like a feral animal. His whining face was twisted in both agony and pleasure. He pleaded for a "stop" but I pressed on. Damn, I must have completely lost my mind attempting to assault the hero. Now when I came to think of it, I was puzzled by the fact that he didn't knock me out. He could have kicked me out of bed or punch me to death for harassing him. Yet, he submitted himself to me so smoothly. This was something totally unpredictable.

Anyway, I was squatting on the bed with barely a blanket covering my nude body. I took a brief peep at the mattress. The fact that we had fucked each other came clearer when I spotted the seeds we had left last night. They were coated on the sheet. Er…how could I be so reckless doing what I had done? I could hear my heart screaming the moment I suddenly realized it was…my...my first time.

Suddenly, the door swung open. I nearly rolled out of bed in fear. My heart was pounding fast. It was banging against my chest as if it would penetrate my rib cage at any rate. I didn't dare look up. My face turned aflame when I felt his glance all over me. He was standing at the door, neatly dressed. He must have showered because I could smell a fragrant scent emitting from his body. Ugh, that luscious odor fueled me with lust again. I quickly shook the wicked, distorted thought out of my head. Slowly, I averted my gaze from his toe to his head. He was staring at me with those amazingly charming blue orbs. He didn't have a mask on. His face was expressionless but I could almost sense an intimidating aura around him. He looked as though he was going to eradicate me.

Splendid took a step forward. Immediately, I cringed, hiding my face with my hands.

"Oh, please please, don't kill me, Splendid. I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry." I begged. My mind went blank for a while. I could only feel trepidation. I was trembling in fright. When I imagined what h would do to me, I couldn't help but cry. "Please, don't execute me. I'm sorry."

He pranced towards the bedside and sighed. He didn't wield his fists or charge at me. Instead, he just stood there, glaring down at me.

"Get up, Lifty." He said. There was nothing unusual in his voice. It was just a bit monotonous.

"Huh?" I cocked my brows in confusion.

"I said, get up." Before I could utter another word, he snatched my blanket forcefully, causing me to slip out of bed and collapse to the ground. I grunted as my head hit the wall, gradually forming a small bump on my skull.

"Sorry but I have to change the sheets." Splendid said. After gathering the bed sheets and the blanket, he walked back to the door. He stopped with his back facing me. "Hey, go take a shower before coming down for breakfast. I've put some new clothes in the bathroom." He instructed and then left the room.

I was rendered speechless for a moment before I decided I had better do as told. Seriously, I could tell he wasn't in a particularly good mood. It was already a miracle he didn't kill me right on the spot. He even bothered to change the sheets and tidy up the room. He looked calm enough but his expression was really somber. Every stare from him sent shivers down my spine.

I got myself up and dashed to the bathroom. I cleaned myself and got dressed. All the clothes he had left me belonged to him. I must have messed up with mine last night. Reluctantly, I put on the black T-shirt and the navy blue pants. I had a difficult time trying to figure out what to do next.

_Should I just escape through the window and flee as far from this place as I can? Or should I go downstairs and meet him?_

I kept in mind the possibility that he might murder me. I had every reason to suspect he was having something really painful in store for me. He would definitely wipe me out in a flash this time, considering what I had done to him.

"Dude, are you done yet? It's been almost an hour."

I nearly had a heart attack when Splendid appeared outside the bathroom out of the blue. I recoiled in panic, tumbling backwards until my back slouched against the wall. He seemed to have misunderstood my reaction, frowning in slight bewilderment as if suggesting why on earth I was dodging from him.

_Heavens know why. He is scaring the hell out of me._

"Are you alright? Have you turned mute or what?" Splendid said, crossing his arms. Geez, things couldn't have gotten worse. Apparently, I had pissed him off again.

"Er…no…" I stuttered, shocked to find myself tongue-tied.

"Okay. Come down at once. The food is getting cold." He nodded and began to walk off. Hesitantly, I followed him downstairs. He motioned me to sit around the table and went back into the kitchen. As usual, he came out with a tray of food. I hadn't got the initiative to gobble down my meal because all the time I could only think of the horrible incident. He settled right across me. He had finished his meal so he wasn't eating. The second he sat down, I saw him scowl. It happened really swiftly but I knew what was going on. He must be feeling pain down there.

"I…er…" I ogled him worriedly. He glanced back at me with his deadpan eyes. I supposed he was mad. Who could blame him? Anyone in his situation would be beyond furious.

"Eat first. We'll talk about this later." Splendid ordered.

Silently, I swallowed everything in front of me. It was absolutely uncomfortable with him watching me have a feast. I could feel his eyes tracking my face frequently. It made me quiver. It just…didn't feel right. Not at all. I was close to having another emotional breakdown.

_This pressure he is giving me is tormenting me. Damn it…why is he looking at me with his pitiful yet alluring eyes? It doesn't help a bit. It makes me…scared._

"Look…Splendid, I…I'm really sorry about last night." I stammered. "I wasn't thinking properly…"

"Why are you apologizing?"

His words came almost instantly.

_So dauntless. So explicit. So astonishing._

"Huh?"

"It's not like you were forcing yourself on me. Or were you?"

_What the hell? What kind of questions is that? How am I supposed to answer it? Shouldn't he be angry at me or something? _

"I…don't know." I replied, completely disconcerted. I still wasn't sure why I did it. I had asserted that I was straight and yet, such a minor temptation from Splendid was enough to drive me crazy.

"Oh." He turned his face away from me. Even from this angle, he looked beautiful. I simply couldn't take my eyes off him.

_Fuck, what the heck is happening to me? Why am I feeling so queer? It's as if…as if…No, I don't think I'm in love with him. It's just his appearance that has been arousing me. Geez, such a creature like him shouldn't have existed in this world at all. It dazes people with an unimaginable power._

"Why did you do it then?" He asked bluntly, making me blush. This was another challenging question.

_Yea, why did I do it? I have…no idea why. I just felt like doing so._

"Should I ask you the same question?" I rebutted. Immediately, his face turned crimson.

"Hey, you…you were the one who stripped off my clothes first!" He snorted.

_Gosh, I'm really losing my immunity to his cuteness. Even the way he makes a grimace is provocative. It's driving me insane._

"I told you I didn't know what I was thinking!" I argued. "I was in a half-sleeping state, okay?"

"Screw you. And you called that a half-sleeping state? You were acting like a wild beast. If I hadn't been feeling that numb with my drunkenness, I would have tossed you out of the window and burned you with my laser eyes."

I gulped, dumbfounded. I knew I had been rather violent but I didn't expect him to accuse me of that. After all, he did seem to enjoy it himself. It's not like he was venting his rage on me. More precisely, he was like throwing a tantrum complaining how merciless I was when I fucked him.

_How did things turn out this way? So twisted and absurd._

The only thing I could come up with was to apologize again. Hopefully, he wouldn't slap me across the face. In his fully conscious state, one touch from him might be adequate to fracture my bone. Taking into account of my indecent act, he could have slaughtered me in the most inhuman way.

Of course, he didn't do anything to me. But I was certain he was severely traumatized by what had happened between us. He looked overwhelmed and mortified. I sighed. Normally in the past, I would have felt gleeful having insulted the hero. This time though, I felt awful. I regretted what I did. We were, after all, just trying to head out for a drink and to grumble about our miserable life. Eventually, we ended up doing something we weren't meant to commit.

"So…does it still hurt?" I asked, blinking anxiously at him.

"Yea, a bit." He answered nonchalantly. "But I'll be alright."

_I hope so. I've heard that his recovery rate is ten thousand times faster than average. But still, being fucked in the ass must be an excruciating experience._

"I'm sorry." I apologized once more.

"Quit apologizing." He stood up and tapped the table fiercely. It almost made a dent on the furniture. "And…and…well…let's get over it. It wasn't that bad anyway. We were both drunk. That's all."

"Not bad?"

"Ugh, I gotta leave now or I'll be late for work." Splendid checked his watch and grunted.

"Hey, one more question."

"What?"

"was that your first time too?"

Splendid gawked at me as if I was some sort of alien.

"Lifty, do you want me to smash your face so badly that your cranium cracks and your eyes roll out of their sockets?" He threatened, fuming so much that I could almost feel the heat of his anger.

"Er…no!" I held up my hands in defense. "I won't ask again."

"Good." He smirked. With that, he left the house in haste.

* * *

**Splendid's POV**

It started raining when I left my office. Oh crap, I forgot to bring an umbrella. I growled when I saw Mole leisurely pull out one from his bag. Obviously, I wasn't going to ask him to walk me home. I was never fond of this colleague. I couldn't even understand why the company hired someone as ineffective as him. I am not discriminating his blindness but the way he handled things really upset me. He never did his work appropriately. If he hadn't been so absent-minded and carefree all the time, I wouldn't have despised him that much. Still, here we were. He had an umbrella. I had none. He strolled down the road and disappeared from my sight.

I went back under the roof and waited patiently for the rain to cease. My mind drifted off again. I was thinking of something. I was…thinking of him.

Lately, things were going really astray. It had been more than a week since Lifty knocked me off while we were both drunk. I just couldn't divert my attention from that incident. Once I was left alone, I couldn't stop thinking of him. What distressed me most was this feeling in my heart. The frustration was giving me a headache. I just couldn't focus on something else besides constantly re-looping what had happened between us. I was annoyed that I had succumbed to his approach. I had unintentionally allowed him to sleep with me.

After that night, he woke up looking guilty and all. I thought he would have said something more than an apology. To my disappointment, he didn't. I could tell he merely treated it as an accident. He, of course, blamed his own foolishness and unruliness, but seeing him criticize himself wasn't exactly what I wanted. I wanted him to explain why he did what he had done. I wanted a rational, explicit answer. Yet, he kept bringing up his own excuses. Perhaps to him, what happened was nothing but a nightmare. Something to get rid of as quickly as possible. He was just afraid that I would take my vengeance on him. He didn't understand how I was feeling. I needed some justice, all right, but more importantly, I yearned for a reasonable explanation. I couldn't live forever with my speculation. If he thought I could continue my life forgetting about this incident, he had to be wrong. Something like this would definitely stay marked for the rest of my life.

I didn't know how long I stood there. The rain wouldn't stop. It was just like the churning in my stomach, the aching of my heart. It was suffocating. _Why_, as I kept questioning myself, _why must this occur to me?_ If I hadn't taken in the thief in first place, I wouldn't have suffered like this. Nonetheless, I was also at fault. I let him take me to a pub for drinks. Who knew we would both end up getting drunk and having sex?

_Damn, we are both guys._

A familiar figure went briskly past me. I recognized her distinctive scarlet hair. She didn't see me there, probably because I was cowering in one shadowy corner. For one second, I considered going up to her and taking her into my arms. At times like this, I really needed a reassuring embrace. I wanted to cry and she was the only one I would feel comfortable with showing my tears.

She was not alone though. There was a boy beside her. Flippy wrapped his arm around Flaky's waist. The girl whom I loved most looked up at her boyfriend with an endearing smile. As he bent down to kiss her, I shut my eyes and let the tears rinse my face. It hurt me so much to see her taken by another guy. He touched her. He had her. All of her smiles now belonged to his.

_Only his._

I crouched and hugged my knees. Waves of grief seeped through my unsutured heart. I felt so betrayed…so…worthless. No matter how much I dedicated my feelings to her, my love was never returned. It was unrequited. She chose him over me. Despite everything I owned and did for her, it just wasn't sufficient to charm her. I admitted my defeat here. I was a complete failure. I couldn't court someone without getting rejected. I couldn't even save someone without killing them.

_Why am I so feeble? So…hopeless?_

A pair of arms reached out and enclosed me from behind. I shuddered reflexively, hardly believing that someone was cuddling me. I turned around and froze.

_Lifty? Why is he here?_

"Splendid, why are you crying?"

Again, he blurted out something so boldly. _How cruel…_He just wouldn't let me retain my last sense of dignity, would he? As my former enemy, I supposed he always knew the best way to humiliate me, even in an indirect, implicit way. He didn't do it deliberately indeed, but I couldn't help wondering why he even cared about me. Nobody ever did.

"Is it still because of what happened that night?" He asked.

_Why is he acting so soft towards me? Showing me one of his concerned faces as if he is sympathizing with me…_

"No…not that." I shook my head in denial.

"Did something happen just now?" He went on. "Is it Splendont?"

"No! Why are you asking anyway?" I yapped. "It's none of your business!"

Lifty staggered backwards, startled by my sudden rudeness. I didn't mean to shout at him but he was asking too many questions. These days, we never talked much. We were both still quite self-conscious of what we had done on that particular night. I didn't want to tell him that I was sad because I spotted Flaky kissing Flippy. I was already crestfallen enough.

"I just…" Lifty trailed off. He handed me an umbrella. An instantaneous stream of tightness struck my chest. I could feel my heart squeezing with pain. It was terrifying. It was strangling me. Rivers of tears came rushing out of my narrowed eyes. I kept trembling and crying uncontrollably. There was a part of me that felt elated. Another part though, was plunged into an abyss. I couldn't grasp the sense of it. I couldn't comprehend why I was behaving this way.

Lifty gaped at me in awe. He didn't know what to do. He didn't even know why I was crying. He thought it was because of him.

_No, nothing would ever do more harm than love does._

"Splendid, I don't know what's happened but please…" He strode towards me and hugged me. "Pull yourself together."

I could feel his breath as he clung closer to me. I could smell his unique scent, the very same one I detected when he embraced me the previous week. For some reason, his presence consoled me. This intimacy between us somehow soothed me and made me less gloomy... It's always good to know that someone was there for me. I wondered if he regarded me as his friend or still his opponent.

_Why is he hugging me anyway?_

"If you don't want to talk about it, let it go." Lifty cooed. "If it's because of me, I'm sorry."

"It's not because of you." I reiterated. I withdrew from him and swallowed my sobs. "Don't worry. I'll be alright."

"Okay." Lifty nodded. "Just so you know, I'll be here to listen if you want to talk about it."

My heart skipped a beat when he said that. It was unlikely of him to act so considerate.

_It just…doesn't seem right. And yet, I can't explain this wonderful feeling I have. It's as though I've finally found someone whom I can trust. Someone whom I can at least address as a buddy._

"Splendid, do you want to go home or shall we eat something?" Lifty asked.

"Anything is fine." I smiled.

"I'll choose to have dinner then." He smiled back and led me out of the alleyway.


	6. Drowning in Pain

"So…how's work?" Splendid asked as they plodded down the street.

"Cool." Lifty replied, tightening his grip around the umbrella's handle. It was still raining cats and dogs. Instinctively, he stepped closer to the hero because they only had one umbrella. He didn't want either of them to get drenched.

"You get along with your colleagues, right?"

Lifty stared up at the murky sky, dark clouds clamped together as the rain came pelting down. He caught sight of a swift flash of lightening, wondering how long the gloomy weather was going to last. It had been like this for nearly a week.

"Yup." He answered. "Petunia is kinda bothersome but she's okay. Nutty is always high on sugar, hardly ever talking to anyone. Flaky is kind enough. She's such a sweet girl."

Splendid shivered as Lifty mentioned Flaky's name. He slowed down a bit, causing the greenette to turn around and gawk at him in confusion. The former thief pondered hard, trying to figure out if he had said something wrong. Undoubtedly, Splendid was looking rather irritated.

"Er…so how's your day?" Uneasily, he veered to another topic, hoping this intense atmosphere between them could ease off just a bit.

"So so." Splendid said grimly, not even making any eye contact with Lifty. He really wasn't in the right mood to converse with anyone. The previous scene of Flaky and Flippy still crushed him to a point that he wished he could just dig a pit on the ground and crawl into it forever. That horrible tightness around his chest accumulated again as he felt his heart shattering. He kept his eyes fixated on the floor. Lifty didn't dare make any more speech. Although he still had no idea what had happened to Splendid, whatever it was, it had to be something distressing and tragic. He had never seen the bluenette so pessimistic before. Sorrow and anguish was written all over his ashen face. A sudden rumble of thunder echoed loudly above them, nearly startling the two boys in the rain.

"Ugh, do you think we should stop for a moment and go for some shelter?" Lifty suggested, growing increasingly disturbed by the inconvenient weather. "The rain…is getting heavier."

"Sure." Splendid corroborated the greenette, immediately eyeing one restaurant nearby.

"We're going to have dinner anyway. Let's get in." Lifty said, guiding Splendid towards the entrance. He started fixing his wet umbrella, droplets of water dribbling down onto his shiny black shoes. Splendid pushed open the door and they stepped in, only to be astounded by what they saw. A gruff, horrendous screech wafted out from the kitchen. Lifty glanced in terror at the crimson liquid that sprayed all over the place. The sickening, pungent choking odor stung his nostrils. The boy could feel his legs shaking at the bare sight of Cuddles' corpse. His mutilated body was hanging down the fan with blood spurting out from his detached limbs. Toothy was lying lifelessly in one corner, his throat being sliced brutally, exposing part of his spine. His eyes were wide open, yet hollow and dead. A long, lethal gash stretched from his neck down to his stomach, revealing a stack of revolting organs. On the other side of the room was a girl dressed in a lavender blouse and a purple plaid skirt . She, too, was severely injured. Her head swung limply to the left. Her eyes were gouged out in the most callous way and a bundle of blood vessels were still attached to her dangling eyeballs. Blood oozed out and trickled down from her nose and lips. An enormous hole penetrated her chest and her legs were maimed horribly. Then, there was Disco Bear, the pervert they spotted earlier in the pub. His mouth gaped open, with a dagger lodged into his gum. He looked as if he had devoted his last breath to screaming at the top of his lungs. His lower half of the body was missing, only to be discovered a few meters away, right beside Pop's and Cub's corpses. The father was stabbed repeatedly from behind, his hands stretching out in an attempt to protect his son. The toddler was, nonetheless, slashed by a knife, his mourning roaming the room. At the counter was a man in cameo jacket, wielding a bowie knife with a blood-curling smile. With one strike, he ripped open a pink-haired girl's abdomen, hauling out her intestines and kneading them ruthlessly. The poor girl gagged and coughed up blood before blacking out in excruciating pain.

Lifty swayed backwards, fear enclosing him. He wanted so much to flee but he found himself frozen on the spot. The hero didn't move an inch, still petrified by the gruesome sight. He was gasping, both in shock and fury. He clenched his fists and glared at the war veteran with sheer menace. Flippy, finally noticing Splendid's presence, smirked. His disgusting laugh could be heard from miles away. Enraged, the hero flew towards the soldier in a flash, pounding onto him fiercely. The soldier retaliated by kicking him off but to no avail. Splendid was exasperated. He had never felt so angry in his life. He had to bring this manic sergeant to his doom no matter what.

"No! Please!" A tremulous voice yelped, catching everyone's abrupt attention. Lifty glimpsed the red-haired girl trembling under the table. She was indisputably the only survivor in this rampage. Bravely, she popped out and pleaded. Splendid spared a second to look at her. Seizing the opportune moment while the hero was caught off guards, Flippy flung his dagger at the bluenette. Fortunately, Splendid dodged just in time. Still, the blade cut across his cheek. Gritting his teeth in wrath, the hero clasped chunks of Flippy's hair and with all his might, banged him against the wall. The war veteran blurted out a groan, feeling his bones fracture as Splendid shoved him deeper into the concrete wall. He pulled out a grenade from his pocket but his hand was immediately smacked by the hero. With his incredible strength, Splendid tossed Flippy across the restaurant, eventually attacking him with his laser eyes.

"No! It's more than enough!" The high-pitched shriek snapped Splendid out of his hysteria. He was trampling on Flippy's chest continuously, fatally wounding the flipped-out psychopath. When he finally stopped, there remained nothing but silence. He stared incredulously at his victim. Flippy, now lying dead on the ground, was nothing more than a gory mess. One could only identify his flesh and bones, his face smashed and his limbs distorted. His skin was scotched by the hot laser beams.

"Why…why must you do this…" Flaky wailed, tears cascading down her cheeks. She hobbled towards Flippy's corpse and knelt down, hugging it tenderly. "Flippy…please wake up…"

Splendid tumbled backwards and hit a chair. He collapsed to the floor, biting his lips. He couldn't believe what he had done. He had slaughtered her boyfriend...

"Splendid, did you really have to do that?" Flaky cried, glaring at him with sentiment. Those scarlet eyes of hers were showing nothing but pure grudge. At that precise moment, Splendid could hear his heart break. Tears rimmed the corners of his eyes.

"S-Splendid?" Lifty ran over to the hero apprehensively and shook his shoulders. The bluenette, however, could only gaze at Flaky blankly, his patsy face paler than a sheet. His hands were quivering.

"P-Please, Flippy…" Flaky embraced her lover's corpse and sobbed. "D-Don't die…"

The corpse, indeed, didn't move. Everything was dead.

_Dead._

"S-Splendid?" Lifty cooed again, leaning closer to his companion. He froze when he saw a stream of tears rush down Splendid's face, smearing a large patch of his skin. He wished he could do something but he practically couldn't think of any. In a split second, Splendid stood up again and flew out of the diner.

"Splendid!" Lifty bawled just as another thunder struck the sky, its roar piercing the ears of many.

* * *

Splendid washed away all the blood on his body. He left the hot tap running, warm water rinsing his cold, tainted face. The steam in the bathroom dazed him. He wished he could just pass out and perish forever. His tears wouldn't stop now. He squeezed his chest helplessly, gasping for air. This suffocating ordeal was killing him, draining all his senses. He felt numb. He loathed himself so much. _Why…_he asked himself. Why did he kill Flippy? And why was Flaky looking at him full of despise? He had just stopped a psychotic murderer from continuing his killing spree. It's what he was bound to do. He had claimed so many innocent lives in the restaurant. If Splendid hadn't killed him, he would have claimed more. The hero was just doing what he had to do…Why was he being detested because of his deed?

And to make things worse, the one accusing him was the girl he loved…

_A girl he could never possess._

Splendid changed into a set of clean clothes and slumped down on his bed. For a long moment, he simply sat there motionlessly. Now he could never be able to redeem his sins. There was nothing but bleakness in his life. His fate, as he reckoned, was ever so cruel. He abominated his own power. He hated what he had done. He had hurt another fragile heart.

"S-Spencer?"

Slowly, Splendid perked up, meeting a pair of sparkling emerald eyes. Lifty gulped, his face filled with empathy. He had run home immediately after Splendid flew off. As expected, he found him in his room, weeping like an abandoned child.

"I've messed it up again, Lifty." Splendid forced an ironic smile, though his eyes were still gleaming with tears. "I…"

Lifty cradled the bluenette's cheeks, gently wipeing off his tears with his thumbs.

"It's okay. I'm here." Lifty purred. Seeing Splendid cry somehow saddened him so much that he wanted to just cuddle him, assuring him that he had done nothing wrong. He shouldn't be blaming himself for saving their lives.

"She's going to hate me forever…" Splendid muttered.

"No, she isn't." Lifty asserted. "No one will remember what happened today. They will just get resurrected…"

"I feel sad, Lifty." Splendid lamented. "I've killed the person Flaky loves most. What should I do…What should I do now?"

"Please, it's not even your fault." Without a second thought, Lifty took the hero into his arms, hugging him tightly as the hero shed more tears.

"It is so." Splendid gurgled. "I never do things right. NEVER!"

"I said, it's not your fault!" Lifty withdrew from Splendid and ogled him seriously. "You did nothing wrong, so STOP torturing yourself like this!"

Lifty looked as though he was going to break down as well. Goggling at his former enemy, perplexity rushed over Splendid's heart. There was only one thought in his mind. He needed something to drown himself from this misery again. He needed him.

_He needed Lifty._

Abruptly, he clung to his partner again, this time, pressing his lips against Lifty's neck, tracing all the way down to his shoulder blades.

"What…" Lifty, panicking, blanched but at the same time indulged in the wondrous sensation. "S-Splendid?!"

Ignoring Lifty's struggles, Splendid pinned him down. Swiftly, he took off his mask and hurled it to the ground. He bent down and caressed the greenette's face. Lifty was by all means shaken but couldn't help getting aroused by Splendid's touch. The hero leaned in and whispered into Lifty's ears. "Lifty, I want you to do it to me again. I want you to help me forget about this pain."

Lifty frowned, realizing that his friend intended to get swept away in order to relieve his grief. Only by making out with someone could he really get rid of those tormenting memories.

"Please…" Splendid trailed off. His command almost turned into a sheepish plea. Lifty never wanted to reject him though. He was just a bit shocked. If he could make this hero feel better and suture his bleeding heart, he would try his best to do so.

Briskly, Lifty flipped Splendid over and started pecking at his lips. His hands seeped underneath Splendid's shirt, exploring his smooth, warm skin. As he kissed his body, the greenette was again tempted by this aroma emanating from the bluenette. The hero smelled so sweet. And his face was just as beautiful as usual. Splendid smiled and spread out his arms as if he was welcoming an embrace form his mate. Lifty, without hesitation, granted his wish. As he wrapped his arms around Splendid's waist, Splendid mumbled softly. "Sorry to make you do this."

Lifty was surprised Splendid would even say that. In fact, he wanted to do it as well. The hero was just trying too hard to suppress his own emotions which he ought to basically let them out.

"Don't say that." Lifty said, nibbling Splendid's earlobes. The hero muffled a moan. "I'm happy to take your request."

Splendid widened his eyes, clearly not expecting such a forthright confession. He was scared. So scared that for one moment he thought he might have a change of heart. He was…starting to feel something else for this former opponent.

_He was beginning to feel attracted to him._

"If it hurts, tell me." Lifty said, gradually undressing the hero. He had pitched a crotch tent just by admiring Splendid's naked body. The hero was so striking. His teary face made Lifty want him more than ever. He wanted to fondle him, reassure him and pleasure him. He wanted him to forget all about the despair in his life. He reached down, nuzzling his collarbone and chest. Every inch of his body emitted a seductive odor. His perfection was illustrated explicitly by his soft, nearly translucent skin and those alluring curves of his figure. Lifty hadn't taken a direct view of him during their first time because he was too drunk to even look at things properly. He had thought Splendid would be more muscular. Frankly speaking though, the bluenette looked quite feminine, especially with his girlish appearance. Obviously, with his innate super power, he didn't really have to work out to gain additional strength. He had had it all in him despite being so slim.

Lifty bent down to kiss him once more before unzipping his own pants. Within seconds, he was inside Splendid again. This time, the hero didn't squeal in pain because Lifty was being exceptionally cautious with him. Every thrust came in a gentle, passionate manner, filling Splendid with everlasting lust and pleasure. Unlike a drunk, wild aggressor he had been, the greenette was showing an awfully caring side towards his partner. He was striving not to harm him, though Splendid wouldn't really mind. If he could feel the twinge, the ache would drown him and help him escape from the sadness. Nevertheless, this pleasure Lifty was giving him could achieve the same effect. He felt numb and dizzy all over whenever Lifty hit him in the right spot, triggering an instantaneous arousal of his own. He felt as though he was floating in the sky. There was nothing to think or to worry about. There was just endless contentment. He was driven to heavenly bliss with someone twiddling and comforting his body lovingly. Lifty groped Splendid's thighs as he surged forwards, shoving in and out of him rhythmically. He felt Splendid's reaction as he slapped his hips against his. He was glad that Splendid was enjoying it, groaning and whispering his name under his breath. The hero came first, clawing Lifty's back causing him to moan. Losing his own control, Lifty ground hard into Splendid and came inside him. They both collapsed weakly onto the bed, facing each other.

"Sorry…are you alright?" Lifty asked quietly, stroking the other male's hair.

"Yes." Splendid chuckled.

"You're…amazing, Spencer…" Lifty grinned timidly. "So amazing…"

Splendid responded to his compliment with a smile, the white haze slowly subsuming his consciousness. He could no longer feel his heart aching. He led Lifty out of bed. They both headed into the bathroom and showered. Afterwards, they flopped back onto the cozy, gigantic bed, snuggling up against each other under the same blanket. They didn't even care if they hadn't eaten a single thing yet. Their hunger had long been satisfied by their fulfilled desires. They cuddled each other peacefully, drifting off to their own realms of dreams.


	7. A Moment of Bliss

**Lifty's POV**

The blazing sunlight woke me. It just crept into the room without any warning. I grunted, realizing that the window was wide open. I swished out of the bed and drew the curtains. All at once, the room went dim. I slipped back into the warm duvet, still exhausted. I didn't feel like waking up just yet but my stomach was growling. I turned to my right side and saw Splendid. He was…sound asleep. The corners of his lips curled slightly upwards, forming a faint smile. His eyes were shut in peace. His breathing was rhythmic and smooth. Flashbacks of memories struck me as I recalled what had happened the previous night. Gosh, we made out again! This time, we weren't even drunk. We took the initiative ourselves. I sighed, trying to figure out the next step.

_Should I wake him? Will he be surprised to see a half-naked guy sleeping next to him? Nah, he shouldn't have forgotten all about it so soon. After all, he was the one who…invited me first._

I still remembered how he had lost control and killed Flippy at the restaurant. I couldn't believe Flaky would actually accuse him. I could tell how it had condemned Splendid. Considering Flaky had been his crush for so many years, being scolded by her and seeing her defend someone else was simply heartbreaking. No ordinary man could take that hurt, I doubted. Seriously, if Splendid hadn't made a move back there, we would have all been dead by now. I didn't know why my heart ached when I saw him cry. When those sparkling tears dribbled down his blood-stained face, I felt…horrible. It wasn't even his fault that he charged at Flippy. He, in fact, had saved us all. When he flew off in the rain, I was so scared that he might do something stupid. In that state, anyone could have committed suicide out of despair. Not to mention Splendid's mood hadn't been so stable recently. I ran everywhere in search for him. Why? I didn't know why…I just couldn't leave him alone. Somehow, I let my conscience guide me. When I finally ran home, I was relieved to find him sitting safely on the bed. Let's say, I hadn't foreseen what he did next. He actually begged me to do it to him. I was dumbstruck at first. I was almost certain that he was just going berserk and losing his sanity. And then…I came to a realization that he was just trying to drown himself in something else. I didn't even think twice before complying with his request. For once, he looked so wretched and frail that I really wanted him in my arms. It would sound ridiculous because he is the hero with superpowers.

_He is my former rival. How can I possibly be the one who comforts him? It just sounds all wrong. So wrong._

I kept staring at his face until he opened his eyes. He blinked back at me. Surprisingly, he didn't look at all shocked. It seemed that he had just woken up from a beautiful dream. I could barely resist his charming smile. My heart melted when he greeted me. "Morning, Lifty."

"Morning…." I still wasn't sure what to do next. It was basically awkward finding yourself lying next to a guy first thing in the morning, let alone the fact that we had made love the prior night.

He peeped at the clock and leaped out of bed. I watched him pull on his heart-printed boxers. He must have seen me drop my jaws because he frowned. "What?"

_Geez…I've never seen someone as sissy as him._

"Splendid, are you gay?" I asked bluntly.

He gawked at me, flustered. Actually, my question only arose out of randomness, nothing serious intended. After all, he must be straight if he had fallen for Flaky. But just by looking at his boxers was enough to make me cackle. I started laughing manically, no longer capable of fighting back the humor.

_He looks so hilarious in those garments. Hell, he looks so much like a girl._

"Excuse me?" Splendid scowled, looking agitated as expected.

"Are you gay?" I repeated.

He gulped and paused for a long while. I thought he would just snub me and let it go. It was a stupid question anyway. He could choose not to answer it if he was confused. I, myself, was feeling mixed up too. I wondered if I was starting to harbour any feelings towards this hero. To be frank, he was so seductive, especially in bed. Again, it didn't necessarily mean we felt anything particular for each other. It could be seen as another accident, or some sort of experiment. He craved for condolence and so I gave him some. That's all. No big deal. We enjoyed ourselves.

_That's all that matters._

"I…don't know." He replied.

Well, that was totally out of my prediction.

_He doesn't know? How come? I remember him saying that he wasn't into guys before._

"Are you?" He fired the question back at me. This time, it was my turn to look stunned.

Damn, I had always thought I was straight and would act like a normal guy. But ever since we hit it off on that special night, I wasn't able to convince myself that I was normal. I couldn't believe I would be lured by a guy, taking him aggressively just because his appearance gave me an arousal. Darn, I ought to be the one losing my mind.

_I'm so fucked up._

"I…I'm not so sure myself." I said.

Splendid only smirked at my answer and didn't say anything. He quickly dressed himself and headed to the door.

"Hey, it's weekend. You don't have to work, right?" He asked.

"Yea." I nodded.

"Cool." He smiled. "I don't have to work either."

He went downstairs first. After brushing my teeth, I decided to help him with the cooking, not that I actually bothered with it that much. Still, he had been offering me accommodation for nearly a month now. It just made me kind of guilty not being able to assist him in anything. For a starter, I never did any chores. Usually, he was the one who did everything. I could never thank him enough for his hospitality. When I thought I would be straying in the street after my shitty brother abandoned me, this fool asked me to stay with him. And look! This is how we ended up being. Rather messed up. I wondered if he had ever regretted taking me in in the first place.

I tramped into the kitchen. A wonderful smell filled the room. Splendid was baking some bread in the oven. He looked up at me, seemingly puzzled.

"Just wait a little longer." He informed. "Won't take more than 5 minutes."

Clearly, he thought I was here to complain about my hunger. Well, no, not at all. He raised his brows suspiciously when I told him that I had actually come to help. He wasn't so keen on that idea. This guy likes doing everything on his own. He probably thought I would screw up his bread or something. Ugh, I didn't care about his beloved bread, okay? He should at least take my kindness more positively.

"Um…let me see." Splendid mused, scanning around the kitchen. "Hey, why don't you get those scrambled eggs and bacon from the stove? Put them on the dish and get two cartons of milk from the fridge."

He was deliberately giving me some easy task that even a child could accomplish. Nonetheless, I did as instructed. He concentrated back on his baking.

We didn't say much during our breakfast. We basically galloped everything in a flash. I was so hungry because I didn't get to have dinner while chasing after Splendid out of that restaurant. I must say, his cooking was so damn delicious. I couldn't imagine a guy could cook like him. His food never failed to make me drool in bliss just by eyeing it. I would always gorge on everything he had for me, except some crappy vegetables which I don't fancy much.

"So I see, you never spare the tiniest bit." He grinned, his palm on his chin as he watched me eat. For some reason, I felt my face reddening. It was embarrassing being goggled at as I chomped on my meal. He always ate so fast that he would have to wait for me afterwards.

"Splendont is a really picky one." Splendid pouted. "He'll always leave something on his plate. And if something doesn't suit him, he refuses to eat at all."

"Really?" I cocked my brows. "You two lived together before?"

"Yea." He said indifferently. "Some time before we entered high school. We never get along with each other anyway. Living with him is a real pain in the neck."

"Well, you aren't living with him now." I shrugged.

"Yea, I'm living with you."

He had said it so casually that it didn't seem to mean anything to him. Yet, that utterance really caught me.

_Does he actually enjoy living with me? Or am I just another pain in his neck?_

"Any plans for today?" He asked, gathering the dishes as I wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"Nah…I don't think so…" I lay back in my chair, my hands rubbing against my full stomach.

"Oh, I'll think of something fun to do. Maybe." Splendid said.

All this time, he still hadn't mentioned anything about the previous night. At some point, I had the tendency to bring up the topic with him. He was…acting like nothing had ever happened. And he seemed so cheerful today when he was basically at the bottom of his life the night before. It made me suspect if he was still trying to seal away his emotions.

_He's just torturing himself soundlessly!_

I reminded myself repeatedly not to care so much about him. As far as I knew, we might not even be considered as friends. I was just a former thief staying over at his place. I remembered when I took his offer, we practically drew a line between us. I stated clearly that I would leave right after he got me a job. And yet…

_Why am I still staying here?_

Splendid popped out from the kitchen wearing one of his winsome smiles. His particularly bright mood somehow scared me. I could no longer suppress my curiosity. There was so much I wanted to ask him about.

"Er…Splendid? About last night…"I trailed off, pondering how I should put it.

_Oh god, what exactly do I want to ask him? Should I ask him if there is something odd going on between us? It sounds a bit weird…_

"Yes?" Splendid retained his smile and sat down across me.

"Um…" I clenched my teeth. "Do you think…er….there's something wrong between us?"

"Like what?"

"Like I don't think two guys should have done something like that…" I said somberly.

After a minute of silence, Splendid nodded with a contemplative expression. "Yea, you're probably right."

_Well, his answer doesn't get us anywhere! What does he mean by a simple "Yea, you're probably right"?_

"Well, I would just say I was really downhearted last night…" Splendid sighed. "I'm sorry, Lifty. I don't think this will ever happen again. I'm…I'm going to give up on her…"

"What? You're gonna give up on Flaky?" I exclaimed.

"Yes…" Splendid affirmed. "After all, what's the point of going after someone who doesn't love you back? I've been courting her for 5 years and it doesn't seem that my one-sided affection has ever reached her heart. Really…I've had enough of this unrequited love. It just…makes me feel so sad."

He tilted his head to one side bleakly. "And I've killed her boyfriend. She's never going to forgive me, I guess…"

_Woah, I am not sure about that one. Flaky is a sweet girl. She surely wouldn't be mad at Splendid for the rest of her life. What she said back in the restaurant was probably out of panic due to the traumatizing loss of her lover. Still, it doesn't qualify Splendid as a villain. He has done nothing wrong._

"I admit to some degree, when I saw Flippy, I really couldn't hold back my jealousy and rage. I simply wanted to shove his head right into the cooking stove…But again, that would be wrong…I've made Flaky cry."

"You've done nothing wrong. Anyone in that situation would zonk out." I said. "But you saved us. You shouldn't be blaming yourself for that!"

He glanced at me in amusement. It's as though he didn't expect me to say something like that.

"You're…being extraordinarily kind to me." He giggled. "You shouldn't be."

"I suppose so."

_Oh crap, I just wish someone could tell me what's happening to me! It isn't my usual self at all! I shouldn't be acting that nice and soft to someone._

"I think I'll do some cleaning around the house." Splendid stood up. "Do you wanna help me?"

"Sure." I agreed almost instantly.

_Meh, I have nothing better to do, do I?_

I was tidying one of these bedrooms when I found a pile of photo albums from a drawer. I flipped over some of them. It was quite fun looking at Splendid's old photos. Well, he had kept photos of him as a child too. He didn't wear a mask then. Most of his childhood pictures were taken together with Splendont. The twins looked identical except for the reverse in their colours of hair and eyes. Other than Flaky, it seemed that there was really no one else appearing in his album collection. So, up until high school, this guy didn't even have more than one friend, eh? I was so occupied that I didn't notice Splendid barging into the room.

"Hey, why are you looking through my private stuff?!" He bellowed. I jumped in fear, almost tossing the albums to the ground.

"Er…sorry, I found these in the drawer." I said, putting them back to where they belonged.

"Oh, I see, those are the photo albums. It's okay then." Splendid shrugged it off. Immediately, I taunted. "Or what kind of private stuff do you think I'm looking at?"

"Huh?" He backed away shyly, flushing.

"Haha, don't tell me you keep porn in this house."

"NO!" He declined abruptly. "I'm not a pervert!"

"Well, I don't know you. Maybe you watch it online." I laughed. Tired of my teasing, he gave my arm a punch. Let's say, his little punch was enough to manhandle me.

"That'll teach you a lesson of teasing me."

"Ugh, you don't have to be that harsh!" I grumbled. "You're crazy!"

"Yea, I am." Splendid stuck out his tongue.

_Damn, he is adorable._

"Back to the question, why were you looking at my photos?" He interrogated.

"I'm just curious, okay?"

"You're slacking off!" He pinpointed, hands on his hips. "I told you to tidy up the room but you're being lazy!"

_Man, I'm just taking a short break. Does he even have to make such a fuss? He's acting really like a mother. An annoying one._

"Fine." I snorted, picking up the boom and started sweeping the floor. "Hey, if you hate Splendont that much, why are you still keeping those photos of his?"

My question struck him. Splendid thought for a while before making a disgusted grimace. "Actually, I've forgotten all about these albums hidden in the drawer. Those pictures were taken when we were really small. I don't even bother to throw away his photos."

"Oh." I smiled. "At least, you've got some good memories in storage. I don't think Shifty and I have ever taken any photos."

"Not even one?" Splendid frowned.

"Nope." I shook my head. It's not something I should get depressed about. Still, I felt a bit dejected. There are kids whose parents keep tons of their photos from childhood. As for Shifty and me, we didn't even have a single picture of us, let alone an album.

"Hey." Suddenly, Splendid came up to me, nudging my elbow. "I know what we can do. Why don't we go out for a walk and take some photos? I have got these professional cameras back at my office. That would be fun, right?"

"What?"

Half-heartedly, I let this hero drag me out of the house. I followed him to his office. He was working for this international newspaper called Daily Acorn. It's only natural they had all the necessary equipment for making news report. It's always a wonder why he didn't continue studying after his high school graduation. With his grades, he could easily get into a university.

"Well, college sucks." Splendid said, directing me to the elevator. We traveled up to the fourth floor and stepped into an air-conditioned office. "I like working more. Plus, I can always get back to college whenever I feel like to."

_So, I guess he does have pretty much choice in his life, eh?_

"YES!" Splendid said excitedly, holding up a digital camera. "This will do!"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to…"

Before I could finish my speech, Splendid grabbed my hands and headed back downstairs.

"Oh come on, photography is fun." He chuckled. "I haven't taken any photos in ages, not since high school."

"Oh, okay."

Somehow, I let Splendid do whatever he wanted. I couldn't even fathom why I agreed to tag along with him. Once we left the building, he started taking pictures of the street. Occasionally, he would direct the lens towards me. His dumb expression made me want to smack his face. Of course, I wouldn't do that. He could retaliate with a fatal punch. I rolled my eyes and strolled down the road. We wandered in the mall like two jerks. I wasn't so interested in shopping but this guy…oh my god, he actually shopped like a woman! I never bothered much with my clothing but Splendid did possess a unique fashion sense. Those items he picked were really of great taste.

"I think we should get you some new clothes." He suddenly said. "You're always wearing mine. You know that?"

"Yea, I know. Sorry about that." I tittered.

"You want me to choose them for you or you decide them on your own?" He asked.

"Anything is fine."

"How can you say that?" He folded his arms while lecturing me. "What you wear gives people the crucial first impression. If you wear the right clothes, you'll look smart and energetic. If not, you'll never stand out in the crowd."

_Yea, right, as if I should wear some sissy boxers to make myself so conspicuous._

"I'm going to get you something tasteful." Splendid asserted. "Just you wait."

He ended up purchasing a stack of shirts and pants for me. He flung the heavy bags at me and gestured me to wait outside the store. Seriously, I was beginning to feel really awful. He actually paid for everything. It's only reasonable because I still hadn't gotten my first paycheck yet. And I had never expected hanging out with Splendid to be so…

_Should I say beneficial? Damn it, this dude is generous. Why haven't I known it earlier? I should have acted more friendly to him before! If we have been close friends from the start, I supposed I wouldn't even have to steal things!_

Splendid surely enjoyed boasting of his wealth and superiority. It's not that I was complaining. After all, those clothes were bought for me. I should be happy.

"Okay, next stop." Splendid strutted out of the mall merrily. "How about lunch?" He checked his watch and suggested. I was far too busy carrying those bulky shopping bags that I could hardly give my opinion. Before I knew it, we were both in a cafe shop.

"Darn, you should have at least helped me." I said, stretching my tired limbs.

"What? You should carry your own things." He sneered.

"But these weigh nothing to you, right?"

"Nah, but I won't be able to take pictures if I'm carrying your bags." Splendid argued.

"What pictures?"

"I'm helping you build an album, you see." He said.

"Huh?" I totally freaked out. "Just exactly how many photos have you taken of me?"

"I don't know." Splendid shrugged, pretending that he didn't know. "Fifty something."

_What a tricky brat._

"I didn't even know when you were taking photos of me!" I sulked.

"Hey, what's the big deal here? It's always good to look natural." Splendid said.

_Geez, I can never understand his thoughts. His point of view is so outrageous._

"Why don't we take one together?" Out of the blue, he moved across the table and sat next to me. He switched the lens towards both of us.

_Holy shit, so he does take selfies as well? What a narcissistic jerk._

"Okay, this one is good enough." He bragged proudly. "At least, I suppose I look handsome in it."

I stared at him speechlessly. He was so narcissistic that every time we went past a glass window, he would stop to fix his hair or to see if his bangs were still in the right place. I would tug his sleeves before his stupid action embarrassed us in front of the public.

The day went on, with him constantly involving me in some sort of silly activities. I was surprised that I even survived till the very end. I must admit I had quite a lot of fun though. But again, it bugged me to know that I was enjoying my time with him. It wasn't supposed to be like this. We shouldn't be getting on so well with each other.

_And why would I feel happy with his presence? Why would he frequently make me laugh? It has never been like this in the past._

_WHY?_


	8. Twisted Fate

Lifty lolled down on his bed, his body aching in every joint. He had never thought hanging out with Splendid would be so tiresome. Yet, they did spend a wonderful time together. The hero just wouldn't waste a single second of the day. He kept dragging him into various grueling activities. They took pictures, went shopping, boating, skating, clubbing, singing karaoke and almost did everything a person would have done in a month's time. The greenette slumped against his pillow and grunted.

"Yo." Splendid tossed a cushion at him. "Shouldn't you bath before getting into bed?"

"What?" Lifty sat up immediately, cradling the cushion.

"You'll make the bed dirty."

"Damn it, are you a clean-freak or what?" Lifty laughed. "I thought Petunia is the only with OCD!"

"I'm not a clean-freak!" Splendid retorted, blushing. "It's just…er...if you get your bed sheets dirty again I'm not gonna help you change them!"

"Fine, I'll sit on the couch, okay?" Lifty abandoned the bed and flopped back on the couch. "Happy now?"

"Ugh, I'm gonna shower first." Splendid rolled his eyes and flew into the bathroom.

Lifty placed the cushion under his head and slouched leisurely against it. He lay down on the couch and shut his eyes. He could have snoozed for a while but all that came into his mind was what they had done in the daytime. The conversation he had with Splendid whirled in his head. The hero seemed to have gotten over his previous sorrow after enjoying a fruitful weekend forcing Lifty to do all sorts of crazy stuff with him. Lifty smirked when he remembered how he deliberately splashed soda on Splendid's face just because he was talking too much in the café. The bluenette had sulked like a little boy, scolding Lifty instantly why he had been so careless with his drink. Lifty told him he didn't slip the glass accidentally but was intentionally trying to shut his mouth. They had an argument afterwards. Nonetheless, it was entertaining. Both of them were laughing while cursing at each other.

The bathroom door creaked open and Splendid stepped out. Lifty opened his eyes slowly. He jolted a little when he saw the hero come out half-naked. He only had his boxers on, still in the middle of drying himself. This time though, the prints on his boxers were not hearts but stars.

"What the fuck?" Lifty's eyes almost bulged as he burst into laughter.

"What?"

"Why are you always wearing these sissy boxers? You look so gay in them!"

"Hmmm." Splendid ignored Lifty's remarks and continued wiping his wet hair with the towel. "Because they were on sale when I bought them!"

"Oh, what a reasonable explanation." Lifty snickered.

"One more word and I'm gonna punch you, Lifty." Splendid said, his mouth curving into a vile smile. Lifty ceased laughing and grinned. "Nah, don't kill me. I'm an innocent citizen."

"Yea, so innocent." Splendid regurgitated the phrase sarcastically. Lifty flushed when he strode towards him and sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes wouldn't stop tracing every inch of Splendid's fine, porcelain skin. The sight of him without a mask again sparked off a fetish within him. Swiftly, Lifty fought back his lustful thought and rushed to the bathroom. All he needed was a warm bath to revive his senses. He reminded himself to stay self-conscious. He couldn't be aroused again by Splendid's beautiful appearance. It just sounded wrong. Both of them are boys and so he should never be attracted to him. Lifty submerged his face entirely into the water. The warmness engulfed him, the steam seeping through his skin and right into his heart. He felt hot, burning hot. Soon, when his face reached back to the surface, it had turned fiery. He panted and started scrubbing his skin with soap. He had cramps in his muscles, probably because he had used up pretty much energy engaging in the day's activities. Yet, he felt somewhat relieved. He had never been this exhausted before. Even during the heist he had partaken in the past, he had never got so tired._ So awesomely tired._

He stretched his limbs and groaned, diving back into the hot tub of water. Everything was wondrous. So wondrous that he couldn't believe this was actually happening to him. In all his life, he had never dreamed of the day when he could actually have fun with the hero as if they were two best friends. He had never seen Splendid laugh so naturally in his presence. Sure enough, the stuff they did was childish and sometimes girlish, but they enjoyed every bit of it. It felt like….It felt like a date!

When Lifty came out from the shower, Splendid had gone back to his own room. Oddly, Lifty had the urge to find him. He wondered if his host had slept yet. Quietly, the former thief tiptoed to Splendid's bedroom and knocked on his door. He decided that if he didn't get an answer, he would return to his room and let Splendid rest.

"The door isn't locked." To Lifty's surprise, Splendid wasn't asleep yet. Tentatively, Lifty pushed open the door and walked in. Splendid was at his study table reading a book. He spun around and looked at Lifty curiously. "What's wrong? Are you searching for midnight snacks? There's a cake in the fridge."

Lifty blushed and shook his head slightly. At times, he was really amazed by Splendid's considerateness. It's as though he really cared genuinely about every need of his guest.

"Nope?" Splendid tilted his head and put down his 'Twilight' book. "Um…then what's it?"

Lifty tried to take his eyes off the hero but he must admit he looked charming and smart in his red-framed glasses. Gingerly, Lifty went towards a chair and sat down.

"Do you have time for a chat?" He asked, wagging his fingers timidly. He couldn't understand why his heart was thumping so manically. He felt exceptionally nervous speaking to Splendid, especially when he was in his pajamas looking so seductive. When he felt Splendid's stare on him, Lifty turned away to hide his crimson face.

"Or…am I bothering you? If so, I'll go back to my room." Lifty said, preparing to stand up.

"No, you aren't bothering me." Splendid answered promptly. "Just, I didn't expect you want a chat this late at night. I thought you would be exhausted."

"Well…I am." Lifty confessed. "But I can't sleep."

"I see." Splendid nodded understandingly. He took off his glasses and lay back in his chair. "Maybe a cup of milk can help? So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Anything is fine." Lifty said. "Oh, and…by the way, thanks for buying all those clothes for me."

Splendid widened his eyes. He couldn't believe Lifty was thanking him. As far as he knew, Lifty hardly showed gratitude in anything. He just wasn't the type to be thankful even if someone did good deeds to him.

"It's okay." Splendid said. "As long as you like them."

"Well…they're pretty." Lifty said. "And…why are you treating me so well?"

Splendid blinked at Lifty for several seconds. Then, he sighed, his eyes flickering back to one corner of the room. "No reason."

"Spencer, can I ask you a question?"

"Okay."

"Are we friends?" Lifty asked, his eyes shimmering under the lamp. Splendid had never thought those green orbs could shine that beautifully. Lifty's eyes always gave out an artful, mischievous impression. One sight of him was enough to convince someone that he was just as wily as he looked.

"Hmm…" Splendid bit his lips. He, too, was dealing with the frantic beating of his heart. He didn't dare stare straight into Lifty's eyes. They were gleaming with expectation, apparently itching for an appealing answer.

"I guess…so?" Splendid raised his brows. "Well, I don't buy things for strangers."

"Oh yea, that sounds more like it." Lifty chuckled.

"So, you're okay to be my friend?"

Lifty was baffled that Splendid would even ask him such a question. It's like he was actually offering Lifty a choice to befriend him or not. The hero's expression stayed still, waiting patiently for a reply.

"Yea, why not?"

Then, it hit Lifty as some memories began to stir in his head. He remembered seeing Splendid back at high school. The hero was the council chairman then. Whenever he and Shifty got into trouble, they would have to confront him. Splendid never punished them harshly because back in those times, what they committed was of far less scale than stealing and smuggling. The twins had never fancied the hero. Even when they were schoolmates, they were constantly getting at each other. Shifty abominated Splendid. He would always play pranks on him. Once, the duo sneaked into the locker room and hid Splendid's uniforms while he was having gym. The poor hero got teased for the rest of the day after finding out he had lost his clothes. Another time, the twins managed to slip some sort of pills into Splendid's lunch, causing him to hallucinate during lessons and getting laughed at. All the time, Lifty had never seen Splendid hang out with anyone besides Flaky. Very often, the hero was on his own. Despite frequently being tricked, he still stuck to his duty. His commitment and seeming kindness further triggered the twins' misbehaviour. They seized every single opportunity to humiliate and insult him. Adding to these, Splendid was never on good terms with his own brother. He was practically alone in all situations. When Lifty came to think of it, Splendid's loneliness was clearly exemplified by his photo albums. He was posing and smiling in those pictures but…it wasn't hard to tell that the boy was simply feigning his happiness.

"I'm sorry." Lifty blurted out suddenly. Splendid glanced at him in astonishment. "What for?"

"Well…you know, if you remember, back in high school, Shifty and I used to mess with you…"

"Oh, you're thinking of our old school days, huh?" Splendid giggled.

"Yea, and we always embarrassed you…"

"So, I guess you were the guys who threw my sneakers into the river, broke my badminton rackets, stole the first love letter I wrote to Flaky and posted it on the blackboard to let the class mock me, spread false rumors of me being homosexual, told Flaky that I was seducing Giggles and dumped all my notes right before my examinations…right?"

Lifty dropped his jaws, stunned. So, Splendid knew it was him and Shifty all along! Lifty had thought when he and his brother tricked Splendid, the hero had no idea they were the culprits. After all, he didn't really chase after them and beat them up.

"I…er…"

"So much fun, eh?" Splendid sneered, which made Lifty feel guiltier than ever.

"I'm sorry." Lifty apologised again. "It must be…kinda hard for you..."

"Well, you and Shifty were two big delinquents back then. I had got used to handling you guys so it didn't really get on me." Splendid shrugged. "I didn't mind being teased anyway. I'd had it all the time. People thought I couldn't hear them but darn, I have supersonic hearing. Even a tiny gossip could get through my ears. I was angry at first but then I figured you two seemed to have pretty much fun fooling around with me. So, I decided to see how far you could go. I must say, I was really amused each time you and Shifty pulled a creative prank on me. Smart brains you have. It's a pity you didn't use them on studies."

"Hmm…because you were always interfering with what we did…" Lifty said. "That's why Shifty and I hated you. We just wanted to take our revenge on you…"

"I know." Splendid laughed. "It's okay. I see no point of getting mad at two silly underclassmen."

Lifty faked a smile. When his second year came, Splendid, who is two years older, had already graduated from school. He and Shifty hadn't seen him for quite a while. Only after their own graduation and they started getting involved in illegal activities, the hero came back hunting them down. It's ironic how they met and kept on conflicting with each other. Their grudge towards one another simply wouldn't stop. It went on and on, until they were both caught by fate one day.

"Splendid…you do remember what I said when you first saved me, right?" Lifty mumbled. "Why…would you take me in…"

Splendid had never answered his question seriously. Lifty could never understand why a hero would bother to save his villain. They were fierce enemies at that time, constantly trying to attack each other.

"Because," Splendid gulped. "I had a thought that I might be able to…change you. When I saw you in pain, I just felt bad having hurt you. So, I took you in."

"And the offer?" Lifty asked. "You went into a pretty bad quarrel with Petunia to get me that offer, right?"

Splendid frowned in shock. "How…how did you know?"

"She told me." Lifty said. "She said you were so confident that I would be able to work properly, begging her to give me a chance to change myself. And then Flaky butted in saying she agreed with you. In the end, Petunia gave in and offered me the job."

"Well…I…" Splendid slurred, tongue-tied. It was awkward to realize that Lifty had found out the truth. Even he couldn't comprehend why he had tried so desperately to get Lifty a job. All that happened in his mind was this hope that he could get Lifty to abstain from stealing. Back in school days, he had always kept his eyes on the twins. He knew they had turned rebellious because of what had happened in their childhood. He had scanned through their records. The reason why he seldom inflicted severe punishment on the two was because he believed there was a chance that they might veer to the right track. The two boys grew up without parents. It's only natural someone like them despised Splendid, who basically got everything he needed. _Family. Wealth. Intelligence._ That's why Splendid never really blamed them for acting foul towards him. He only tried to kill them once because they were using the kryptonut against him. That time, the experience was too agonizing to bear. So painful that he decided to make his own justice. It was also the first time he had ever lost control towards the twins, slaughtering them like a lunatic.

"I've never seen you with someone else besides Flaky…" Lifty pinpointed. "Did you not have many friends?"

"No…" Splendid replied.

"How come?" Lifty scratched his head, puzzled. "I mean, you were the council chairman, the class representative, the model student and…well, you always had a high profile, always boasting about your superpowers, showing off your super talents and everything. With those qualities, you should have many friends."

"Ugh…that's not true." Splendid smiled vaguely. "Even those who admired me, they were just trying to…flatter me. They never really wanted to befriend me, I could tell. That's how I see things…"

"Flattering you?"

"Yea." Splendid nodded. "They were just after the things I owned. I had a few guys always trying to borrow my notes so that they could cheat in exams. Some girls invited me to be their escort just because they wanted a good-looking partner. They even wanted me to help them beat the shit out of their ex. Some got close to me because they wanted me to pay for their lunch. Well…I wouldn't mind doing all these things as long as they kept people happy but…nope, I don't think they viewed me as their friend. So, neither would I see them as mine…"

Lifty froze at Splendid's speech. He could never imagine a guy like him, ever so perfect and respectable, would have gone through so much terrible stuff. Nothing could be told from his face. Splendid was always smiling whenever possible. But when he did cry, he cried for a long time and even lost his mind. Lifty still bore in mind how Splendid begged him the other night to help sweep him away from his misery. His heart was continuously battling with the trouble of his life. And his mind was always fighting against his pride and conscience. He must have been trying hard to get over the role of being a superhero. When his efforts were seldom appreciated, it must have hurt him like hell.

"So…the point is…" Splendid said. "I don't think I make friends with anyone easily…Even if I like them…they might not like me…Perhaps there's a problem with me that I don't know…Even Flaky refused to tell me what's wrong with me. She just…kept on rejecting me for no particular reason."

"I don't think there's a problem with you." Lifty said bluntly. "You're the nicest dude I've ever met. Nicer than anyone else."

"Huh?" Splendid flushed immensely, hardly convinced.

"Yea, and I'm glad to be your friend." Lifty said, blushing as well. "So long as we get along with each other, I'll always be your friend…"

"Thank you." Splendid smiled. "You're very kind, Lifty."

The hero stood up and marched towards his bed.

"But it's really getting late." He yawned. "I must sleep now, Lifty. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay." Lifty nodded.

"Good night, Lester." Splendid cooed.

"Night."

Lifty switched off the lights. Splendid pulled the duvet over him and fell asleep. Lifty waited until he completely passed out. Then, he stopped at the hero's bedside, gazing down at him calmly.

"Idiot." Lifty whispered and bent down to plant a kiss on his friend's cheek before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

_"__Sweet dreams, Spencer."_


	9. Mingled Feelings

"Hey wake up, sleepyhead." Splendid bounced onto Lifty fervently, trying to pull off his blanket. "You're gonna be late for work."

"Hmm…" Lifty groaned, still burying his face in the pillow.

"Hellooooooooo~" The hero didn't give up. He shook the greenette slightly, attempting to earn a response from him.

"Meh…I don't feel like working." Lifty croaked, turning his body to face the ceiling.

"What?" Splendid exclaimed. "No, you can't be absent for work! Come on, wake up."

"Nah…it's all your damn fault." The greenette said, keeping his eyes shut.

"How is it my fault?" The bluenette interrogated immediately, frowning.

"Well, you've worn me out on Saturday." Lifty groused. "So, I'm calling for a day-off…"

"Huh?" Splendid glared at Lifty with annoyance and crossed his arms. He paused for a long thoughtful moment before snapping his fingers. He bent down and blew in Lifty's ear, which in an instant flustered the sleepy boy. The greenette pried open his eyes and stared at Splendid, blushing awkwardly. "What the…"

"I promise you. If you don't wake up now, you are gonna regret it." Splendid smirked, hopping back onto the floor. Lifty sighed and sat upright, shaking his throbbing head. He had only slept for 6 hours and was still in a severe state of fatigue.

"How?"

"Because." Splendid giggled. "I'm going to bake some cookies this afternoon. So, it's your choice."

Now, that was an absolute temptation to Lifty. As far as he knew, Splendid's cookies were delectable. He had never tasted anything so appetizing before.

"Well?" Splendid shrugged, slumping leisurely against the door. "What do you say, lazy bones?"

"Fine!" Lifty growled, puckering his lips to make a ducky face. Splendid laughed triumphantly at his trick and plodded downstairs.

Lifty slipped out of bed, sighing. He couldn't believe he had let the hero manipulate him so readily. The hero seemed to have increasing influences over him these days. Whatever he said, the greenette would listen to it unconsciously. Sometimes, Lifty would try to stick to his own rebellion and disobey the other boy. He especially enjoyed making Splendid angry because whenever the bluenette threw a tantrum, he would act like a child. _A child who seriously craved for attention, for condolence and for a sense of belonging._ It's usually Lifty who fooled around with the hero, upsetting him and then reassuring him all at once, taking every dramatic fluctuation of Splendid's mood for granted. And yet, the hero had recently discovered the other boy's ultimate weakness. The former thief, beyond doubt, could never resist any of Splendid's handmade cuisine. The routine usually went with them constantly teasing and getting each other to do something through tricks, though they couldn't deny such a fascinating bond granted them endless happiness.

"Hey, you gotta keep your promise." Lifty said while munching a slice of fruit toast.

"Okay, okay." Splendid grinned and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't break promises."

"Sure." Lifty gave out one of his trademark snickers. He now had more motivation to work since he had something fabulous to look forward to. He was madly in love with Splendid's cooking and had indisputably gotten addicted to it. His food had an immense power to fuel Lifty with energy, delight and passion. The hero continued spoiling his companion, stuffing everything he cooked into Lifty's mouth. For years, he had been cooking delicious dishes but no one ever had the opportunity to taste them. He was simply glad that someone was there to guzzle down his meal. He loved it whenever Lifty praised his cooking talents and demanded more. Even if Lifty ate up all his food stock, Splendid wouldn't mind a bit because all he wanted was to see his friend happy.

"I'm gonna develop these photos when I get back to office today." Splendid said, holding up the digital camera with enthusiasm.

"Ugh, don't bother with it." Lifty grunted. "I look stupid in half of the pictures you took!"

"Well, it's your nature to look stupid, isn't it?" Splendid taunted. "Anyway, I'm not going to waste these pictures in which I was trying so hard to look handsome."

"Er…" Lifty rolled his eyes, again confounded by the hero's intended jokes. For a second, he wondered who was really acting stupid.

* * *

Lifty promenaded on the road, his mind drifting off again. He had thought Splendid would accompany him to work. He always did. But this morning, the hero had an imperative news report to make so he had to scoot away as quickly as possible. As Lifty strolled on, he began to feel more and more uncomfortable. The fact that he had got accustomed to Splendid's presence haunted him. He was giving his best to grasp the feeling that had been swirling within him for the past few days. When he initiated a chat with Splendid that night, he was completely not behaving in his usual manner. He had no idea whatsoever why he was determined to befriend the hero. What's worse, he couldn't understand why he would reminisce about their old school days. It seemed that destiny had brought them together once more when they first encountered each other a year after graduation. In retrospect, Splendid had explicitly expressed his solitude and sadness in front of Lifty several times, going as far as to confess it would be his utmost pleasure to have more acquaintances. The boy was always lonely in his mind, in spite of being a renowned, admirable hero. People seemed to adore him simply because he was born different, not because of whom he really is. When the twins got hooked on tricking their upperclassman, Splendid never did really castigate them. He was, by all means, unexpectedly pleased because someone was actually paying attention to him, even though the kind of attention was foul and offensive. Nonetheless, he took it all with him. At some point, Lifty recalled a scene where he and Shifty stood inside the student council room.

_Splendid was sighing at a full list of the twins' misbehavior and wrongs. He took off his glasses and shook his head in dismay._

_"What can I do to make you abide by the school rules, just for once?" Splendid asked._

_"Nothing!" The twins sniggered feverishly. "Loser, you can never make us do anything!"_

_"Then, can you tell me why you're doing these inappropriate things?" The chairman asked. "Are you seeking for attention? Or are you simply enjoying the fun of teasing someone? Are you trying to let people see how capable you are to make them think you aren't just a bunch of lazy lay abouts? Huh?"_

_"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The twins roared at the same time, spitting on the floor. Shifty lifted his leg and kicked the table. The furniture toppled over with an earsplitting crunch. Splendid stared solemnly at the violent kleptomaniac brothers._

_"Yo, why don't you lift your fist at me?" Shifty laughed. "Are you afraid that you might kill us by accident and get suspended yourself?"_

_"Screw you." Lifty piped up. "What a sissy, pathetic loser! No wonder you have no girls! I doubt if you even have balls!"_

_The twins went on poking fun at their upperclassman, until Splendid could no longer take it and had to dismiss them all at once. The twins walked out of the council room victoriously. As they slammed the door behind them, they could almost hear a sob wafting out of the room. They didn't pay much notice to it then, probably because their shrill noise completely filtered out Splendid's frustrated growl._

Still, the memory remained crystal clear in Lifty's head. He was certain that every time they successfully insulted Splendid, the hero would weep for a second or two. Back then, he couldn't charge at them because he was a model student. If he vented his anger on the twins and slaughtered them, he himself could get expelled. This loophole gave the twins more reasons to keep teasing and torturing him. Until one day, they could not spot Splendid in the school because he had graduated. There was a period the twins had to divert their attention to bullying someone else, mostly some nerds like Sniffles.

It became rather obvious to Lifty that he had been attracted to Splendid from the very start. When he and Shifty saw this amazingly beautiful boy on their first school day, they already made up their mind to turn him into their eternal nemesis. The time they spent on scheming treacherous, sinful deeds just to provoke Splendid occupied nearly all proportions of their school days. They knew right in the beginning that Splendid was the kind that looked harsh on the outside but fragile on the inside. That's why they constantly hurt him and broke his heart. Over and over again.

"Damn it." Lifty cursed quietly, furrowing his brows. "Why was I…such a bastard?"

A sense of guilt bubbled up in his heart. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. For the first time in his life, he felt ashamed. He and his brother had been constructing their happiness by plunging someone into misery._ How ghastly and immoral._ He couldn't believe he had been so nasty. And yet, Splendid had forgiven him, even saved him from fatal injuries, taken him in and befriended him…

_Everything is so inconceivable. So appalling. So touching._

"G-Good morning, Lifty…" A weak voice snapped Lifty out of his thoughts. He looked at his colleague. Flaky stood in front of him with a doleful expression.

"Yes?" Lifty raised his brows. "You want me to get you something from the top shelves?"

"N-No…" Flaky shook her head, almost bursting into tears.

"Gosh, what's wrong?"

"I just…I just want to ask…" Flaky stammered. "Is…Is Splendid alright?"

"Yes…he is…" Lifty answered, suddenly remembering what had happened earlier in the restaurant, the night when Splendid killed Flippy and went into depression.

"Please…I know you're now hanging out with him…" Flaky pleaded. "Please tell him I'm sorry. I'm…so sorry to have shouted at him…I didn't mean to….I just…"

"I understand that." Lifty said, patting Flaky's head gently. "I was there too."

"B-But I…I must have made him angry…" Flaky cried. "I said something really m-mean to him when he was just trying to…to stop Fliqpy…I'm so sorry…"

"Well…" Lifty sighed. "He isn't angry at you, Flaky. He's just…sad…That's all."

"I know…" Flaky glanced down at the ground. "I…I must have hurt him far too much…He's always been treating me so well and I've never been able to…to return his favor…..I feel so ashamed…"

Lifty gasped. He couldn't believe Flaky felt ashamed too. It seemed that Splendid's kindness always possessed the ability to make someone guilty.

"Do you know why I…I rejected him…?" Flaky fumbled. "It's b-because he's too good for me…He didn't believe it…He thought I must be lying but it's true…I couldn't stay with him because he's always doing so many things for me…I couldn't take it…I felt really stressed when I knew I could hardly do the same to him. It would only hurt him even more if I don't love him enough. So, I decided to reject him in the first place…I don't want him to treat me so…so well…It makes me guilty….It makes me sad…He just wants me to be happy but I also want the same happiness to occur to him. I figured it won't be fair if I don't love him wholeheartedly. Therefore…until he meets someone that can truthfully understand him…even more than I do…I'll keep declining his request because he deserves someone better…He needs someone that can shed away his tears and is able to cheer him…which I could never do with success. He's usually the one who makes me smile…"

Lifty listened in awe. Every single word Flaky uttered struck him hard. He now realized why Flaky did what she did. Despite taking the risk of breaking Splendid's heart, she still chose to reject him because she knew well she couldn't offer him the very same happiness he granted her. She wouldn't want to go out with him and then apologize to him one day that she actually wasn't the right one for him. It was cruel to reject him right from the start. But it would be even crueler if she had given him false hope and then mercilessly snatching it away afterwards.

"Flaky…" Lifty cuddled the redhead tenderly, trying to comfort her. "You're really a sweet girl."

"I just…" Flaky wept. "I just want him to be happy…"

After all, they were friends from childhood. She wished subtly he could someday find the true love of his life.

"Yes, me too." Lifty murmured. He withdrew from the hug and smiled. "Don't worry, Flaky. That idiot has an immune power that's ten thousand times greater than average. I'm sure he gets over everything pretty soon."

"R-Really?" Flaky wiped off her tears and grinned. "You've…You've changed…Lifty…"

"Have I?" Lifty laughed. "Maybe."

"And it's good." Flaky said. "I like this side of yours…And I know Splendid likes it too…"

At once, the greenette flushed. He had to turn away to hide his blush. His heart was pounding fast again. All this time, he seemed oblivious to his changes. Nevertheless, Flaky was right. He had changed. He had, by all means, been changed by Splendid. He had instinctively allowed him to affect him, to tame him and to induce this strange, particular passion inside his heart.

The door creaked open and two teenage girls stepped in. One had eye-catching pink hair, wearing a pale, laced dress of cherry color. Her buddy was a purple-haired girl with long curls, dressed in a fluffy white blouse and a plaited lavender skirt. The two's chortle echoed in the hallway as they chattered loudly in the store.

"Oh my God, I can't believe he's so fun to tease!" Giggles sneered.

"Geez, Giggles, you're so wicked!" Lammy laughed. "You always like teasing the boys, don't you? And not to mention it's the hero. THE AMEATUR HERO!"

"Yea! He's just so…pathetic!" Giggles mocked. "He must think I feel something for him! What a poor brat! If he isn't that fun to tease, I wouldn't be allowing him to rescue me all this time. He always kills me, in fact."

"Screw you, always pretending to be the damsel." Lammy chuckled, nudging her friend. "And how exactly did you tease him this time?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just gave him a kiss on the cheek and he blushed like a peach!" Giggles laughed hysterically. "I even think he got an arousal but of course he wouldn't admit such a shameful fact. Damn, I think he's still a virgin. And I suppose he must be big in length too!"

"OH GOSH, so, you're trying to make him your sex partner?" Lammy faked an astounded face. "Oh dear dear, poor Cuddles."

"Isn't it fun? To toy with the hero~" Giggles bragged. "He's always had this in him. He's such a masochist!"

"Excuse me. Would you two bitches mind talking outside? You're way too loud here." Lifty rolled up his sleeves and strode towards the two girls. Giggles twirled around and ceased laughing. Lammy glared up at Lifty, cocking one of her brows in amusement.

"Well, see who's here." Giggles smirked."Lifty, I thought you're still rotting in prison with your shitty brother!"

Lammy laughed.

"No, Giggles, don't you realize it?" Lammy stuck out her tongue and muttered to her friend. "He's recently started working. All thanks to that hero. I saw them living together!"

"Oh my, my…" Giggles covered her mouth immediately. "So you're living with Splendid? Holy shit, did you just overhear our conversation? Oh my God, I can't believe Splendid is gay! After all this time, I've made pretty much effort into seducing him. He's never locked eyes with me once. I suppose I know the reason now. HE'S GAY. SO ARE YOU, SHITTY THIEF!"

Lifty gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He felt furious that for a brief second, he considering slapping Giggles right across the face. Yet, he couldn't do that. If he did, he would probably lose his job which Splendid had run into much trouble to find for him. He couldn't just let his anger out yet…

"SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LEAVE THIS PLACE NOW!" Lifty bawled. "We don't welcome bitches here. If you ain't buying anything, leave! Disturbing, revolting, stupid damn chicks!"

The girls stared at Lifty with their eyes wide open, apparently stunned by his fierce eruption. He was so peeved that almost everyone in the store could hear him sniff.

"Who are you calling as chicks? Huh?" Lammy crossed her arms and rasied her husky voice. "Who are you to call us chicks anyway? You disgusting, good-for-nothing lowlife. If you aren't living with Splendid, you're probably straying in the street now, right? Good heavens, even your own brother has abandoned you! Haha!"

"Oh, what a pity!" Giggles scoffed. "It must be kinda hard for you, eh? Living with that sexy, lonely boy. Did he make you turn gay or what? I'm surprised he's changed you! Wowowow, just wow, it's like one of those fairytales, isn't it, Lammy?"

"Yea, Beauty and the Beast? Or Cinderella?" Lammy simpered with irony. "Oh, perhaps it's the Little Mermaid!"

The two annoying girls once again burst into laughter, basking in their own sickening jokes. Unable to control his rage, Lifty hoisted his fist in the air, attempting to strike the girls for good. Fortunately, Flaky caught him just in time.

"Don't, Lifty!" Flaky whimpered to him, clutching his fist firmly. "You can't."

"THEY ARE INSULTING ME AND SPLENDID!" Lifty snarled.

"Please, Giggles, Lammy, get out for now." Flaky begged, her eyes beaming with tears. "Before Lifty hits you. Please."

The girls exchanged a glance and shrugged it off. They went to purchase a few packs of chips and left the store leisurely.

"Er…L-Lifty?" Flaky ogled her colleague worriedly. Lifty stood still like a frozen statue, motionless and speechless. His eyes were twitching and his hands were shaking. He bit his lips so hard that they almost bled. The humiliation had gone too far. Far too much to bear. He wasn't really mad because Giggles scorned him. He agreed that he was nothing but a disgraceful lowlife. What he was truly angry about though was the way they spoke of Splendid. How could a girl feign innocence so frequently, acting as the damsel just to mock the hero? Teasing him, calling him gay and such, when all Splendid did was dedicating himself to rescuing the citizens he cared for.

This was all too much. Way too much to tolerate!

"L-Lifty?!" Flaky stuttered, prodding Lifty's hand nervously. The boy blenched and hurtled out of the store.

"LIFTY!" Flaky squealed but the boy didn't hear her. He was sprinting as fast as he could, covering his face with ever so many tears.

Lifty sat down on the bench. He had blundered again…He had run away during working hours. He must get sacked for sure. And then…there would be Splendid, looking gloomy and disappointed, wondering why he hadn't treasured the job he helped him to get. Lifty felt his heart and lungs clamped altogether. He found it difficult to breathe. The feeling he had stung him, sending adrenaline all over his body. He wished someone could explain to him why he was feeling this way. He needed to know why he felt his heart ruptured the moment he heard others affront Splendid. He needed to know why he felt his heart aching the moment others coldheartedly laughed about his relationship with Splendid. Was it wrong…to befriend a hero? Would being his friend make Splendid suffer even more prejudice than before?

"Hey."

Lifty's ears perked up when he heard that particularly sweet voice. He didn't dare turn his face to the bluenette. He felt a lump in his throat as Splendid sat down quietly beside him. It was the very same bench they came across each other during that rainy night. The night they went clubbing and drinking. The night they…

"So…what's up?" Splendid asked. "Aren't you supposed to be working at this hour?"

"I'm sorry…" Lifty purred, staring at the ground. And then, it hit him that Splendid was also supposed to be at work.

"I got a call from Flaky." Splendid said. "She said you ran off. She told me what happened back in the grocery store."

"Sorry." Lifty apologized again. "Petunia is probably going to lay me off…I suppose."

"Nah, she isn't." Splendid winked at Lifty. "She understands the situation. She actually heard the conflict. Everyone knew why you ran off."

"Hmm…" Lifty's face reddened. He automatically kept his eyes away from Splendid, not wishing to blush even more while facing him.

"So…I guess…you now understand what I said the other night?" Splendid giggled softly. "About people faking around and trying to flatter me."

"You mean…You know Giggles is teasing you all along?" Lifty asked.

"Sort of." Splendid shrugged. "But what can I do? Whenever she calls for help, I'm bound by the responsibility to save her. It's my duty as a hero. Plus, I always kill her unintentionally. I'd say it's karma or more likely my little revenge."

"Really?!" Lifty gazed at the hero in disbelief. Splendid nodded and chuckled. "If I put my mind into saving someone, I think I would be able to recognize my limits. I wouldn't hurt that person so easily…"

"Wow…I didn't know you…"

"It's okay." Splendid said. "I'm happy that you tried to stand up for me…In all honesty, I'm glad…"

Lifty blushed. He felt his heart pumping like a machine out of control. He knew this wasn't right. He shouldn't be harbouring feelings towards the hero. Even though they were friends, Splendid shouldn't be touching his hand right now.

Swiftly, Lifty ducked which somewhat surprised the hero. The hero blinked curiously at the greenette, waiting for him to break off the silence.

Eventually, Lifty spoke up. "Splendid, I think…I think it's better for me to move out."

The hero continued gawking at Lifty for a long time, different parts of his face compressing together to form the most shocked frown. His heart skipped a beat when he tried to digest Lifty's abrupt words.

"W-What…did you just say?"

"Splendid, I think I had better move out." Lifty said. "After all, I've been bothering you for nearly a month now. I should be getting my first paycheck next week. I can find myself another apartment. So yea, that's pretty much it."

Splendid didn't respond to his friend's utterances. He stood up. All at once, his heart sank. These were the words he feared the most. He had never anticipated Lifty would throw them at him one day. He had thought…He had thought he would stay with him. Nevertheless, it was just another one of his delusions.

Having a friend. Getting a roommate. Falling in love with a boy.

_They were all just hallucinations._

Someday, they would all be wiped out by reality. A reality that was ever so vicious. So unsympathetic.

"Okay." Splendid said nonchalantly. "I get it. I'll help you find an apartment."

"You…You don't really have to help me…"

"It's fine." Splendid interjected. "I said I'll always lend a helping hand to my friend. I don't break promises."

With that, the hero flew away.

Lifty watched the silhouette stray farther and farther away from him, up into the sky. He knew Splendid is afraid of height. Unless necessary or the situation called for an emergency, he wouldn't choose flying. It seemed that he was in a rush to avoid him.

The sight of him vanishing into the clouds punctured Lifty's heart with an unspeakable pain.

As for the hero, he used up all his strength to fly off, the only reason being he didn't want Lifty to spot his tears.


	10. Finding Love in You

**Lifty's POV**

I…couldn't believe I said it. Those words just rushed out of my tongue uncontrollably. I would wish there was a chance for clarification. And yet, he stood up so fast. Before I realized I had blundered so badly, he had already tossed a heartless answer at me. It was so straightforward, so honest, so awfully tear-jerking… When he said 'Okay', without even staring straight into my eyes, I could feel my heart tremble. My world…My inner world just crumbled down. It was falling apart... I had thought he would object to my idea, but he didn't. I had thought he would give me a candid explanation, a subtle confession to address what those two bitches had said. I had thought he would ask about the 'gay' issue and told me to shrug it off. And most of all, I had thought…he would insist on me staying with him.

_Perhaps…I'm indeed another pain in his neck. Perhaps…he's never wanted to take me in. It's just him trying to be kind. He's always kind to everyone even though they secretly gossip about him behind his back. Maybe everything he's done is simply out of sympathy…He's just pitying me the same way I'm pitying him. He saved me just because he couldn't conquer his conscience and that particular sense of guilt. In more or less the same way, I decided to befriend him because he made me feel so guilty._

_Oh God…what's happening to me? Why wouldn't my tears just stop flowing out of my fucking eyes! Damn it…Screw you, Splendid._

We sat in silence. The television was on but neither of us was watching it. None of us spoke. It was as though an invisible barrier had formed between us, separating our entities and souls. There was nothing much I could do now. Since he agreed that I should move out, I guessed I couldn't press on. It would be ridiculous if I just altered my mind. I would look stupid.

_No, I can't debase myself like this. I can't let my pride go down. And neither can he._

I had packed everything. Precisely two days after I proposed to move out, he helped me find an apartment across the street. The flat was small but comfy, even quite near to his house. The rent was reasonable. I could totally afford it. He even went as far as to bargain for a cheaper price. I wondered why he had to do so many things for me. I thought…the moment he approved of my leaving, he had implicitly suggested drawing a line between us. I remembered when I first accepted his offer, I told him I wouldn't expect any more things from him and would most certainly not befriend him. He had nodded at me saying he felt the same way. It's like we had both broken our initial vow. We had both betrayed ourselves... We had become friends and now…all at once, we turned into strangers again.

_Why…I wonder why…We can still be friends after I move out, right?_

However, things would never be the same. We wouldn't be seeing each other every day as often as we had done. And he wouldn't be the one to cook me breakfast, prepare my lunch box, serve me dinner…No one would fill the bath tub with warm water just a few minutes before I took a shower. No one would hand me towels and clothes when I accidentally forgot to bring them with me into the bathroom. No one would be there to tell me there was a midnight snack inside the fridge and would still remain calm even after I swallowed his favorite dessert. No one, absolutely no one would be scolding me because I screwed his bread and broke his oven. And certainly no one would be there to smile, laugh and curse at me, take selfies and go shopping with me, ask me to take him into my arms when he cried…

_Why…Why wouldn't you say something?! Bastard! You've messed up my feelings and now with just one word 'okay', you're pretending nothing has ever happened between us! WHY?! Don't you at least feel something? After all, I'm the one who has slept with you twice! Damn it! _

But then…I realized…it was my fault. I regretted what I did…I shouldn't have said I wanted to move out…I was just trying to test his reaction but it seemed that my trick had gone too far. _Too far from my capability. Too far from his tolerance._ He might be able to act brave but I…I couldn't. It's only rational that he was getting fed up with my pranks…I had, like many other people, broken his heart continually and humiliated him. He had every good reason to snub me, to detest me, to treat me like a piece of scum. Still…I couldn't explain this agony whirling in my heart. And these butterflies that were swirling in my stomach gave me nausea.

_My heart is as fragile as yours, you know. Why can't you just comfort me back this time? It's always been me reassuring you. Don't you feel ashamed, hero? Huh?_

"Well, I'll walk you there." Splendid stood up and grabbed suitcase, the one he had bought me to keep all my belongings in. And needless to say, everything in my luggage didn't belong to me in the first place. He bought them. He bought them all for me…

"Don't bother with it." I said.

_If you're acting this apathetic, I might as well join you. Friends do the same thing after all, right?_

"But…"

"I'll walk there by myself." I said, seizing the handle of my suitcase.

"Okay…if you insist."

_Damn…is that all you have to say? Is this really 'okay' with you? Shitty hero, I'm leaving! I'M LEAVING! And I'm not coming back! Certainly not! Is that what bothers you? People thinking of us as being gay? Is this why you don't want to stop me from moving out? Because it's always what you've wanted. To see me leave your house one day and never return. Yea, sure, now no one is ever going to eat up all your meat stock. No one is going to chat with you at night. No one is idiotic enough to have pillow fights with you. And absolutely no one is going to watch some crappy horror movies with you despite being scared of nightmares. Shoot you. _

I marched towards the door and swung open the door.

"Good bye, Spencer." I muttered under my breath and stomped out.

He didn't stop me. He didn't even say 'Goodbye'. He didn't…

_Oh why? Why won't you come and hold my hands? Why won't you say something? Something like… 'shouldn't friends leave each other alone?!'_

I was hurt. I cried. Tears kept trickling. Down onto my collar. Onto my tie. Onto my shoes…Onto everything that reminded me of him. These clothes…I wanted so much to rip them off because he was the one who paid for them. I didn't want to wear something he bought me. Not after he had hurt me like this. For a swift moment, I wanted to smack his face just like how I had done to Shifty.

_Why wouldn't people stop betraying me? Why am I always the one being abandoned? Why am I always the one at fault? Why am I the one to be bossed around and abused? The one whose feelings are never taken into serious account. The one whose happiness is constantly drifting away from him. The one who falls in love with a guy!_

I couldn't understand it. God, I couldn't. I just couldn't apply any common sense, any logic, any notion to this feeling I had. It was…nerve-racking…It was making me weak. Making me weaker than ever.

_I love you, Splendid. _

But I couldn't say it.

_Because the thing I fear most is that this love is unrequited. And that my feeling can never reach him…_

* * *

**Splendid's POV**

I watched Lifty disappear from my porch and amble down the road. I knew he was crying but he didn't turn back. He didn't even tell me why he had those tears in his eyes. I was waiting all this time, just for him to confess to me. When he proposed to move out, he had no idea how those words stabbed my heart. They attacked my feelings and disrupted my senses. I couldn't believe he was that conscious of what Giggles and Lammy said. So, he felt irritated of being called 'gay', eh? He couldn't get over people's prejudice and decided to leave me for good… How selfish…

_Does he think that I don't mind what people say about us? I do! But I couldn't care less! _

It's because I cared about his feelings more than mine. I just wanted him to be happy. If he felt annoyed being discriminated because of living with me, then, I would let him go. I wouldn't restrain him just to satisfy my own desires. I wouldn't blame him. It's only rational for him to move out. After all, as far as I knew, he might be straight.

_He doesn't like guys, I suppose…He merely treats me as his friend. It's just me fantasizing impossible things. I've never thought I would fall for him, not after we've done it twice. What made me feel is the way he's genuinely taken my feelings into account. Besides Flaky, he's the only person who has ever wanted to befriend me not for the purpose of blandishing me. He doesn't admire my powers like others do. He asks for a friend because he really needs one. And he has asked me in particular._

I glanced outside with my hollow eyes, my heartbeat slowing down almost to a cease. I felt like crying and dying at the same time. This anguish he had caused me was beyond my limits to counteract.

_You're a bastard, Lifty. You've messed up my feelings and now you're fleeing like a coward. Why can't you confront me? Why can't you tell me you were just kidding when you said you wanted to move out? TELL ME IT'S JUST ONE OF YOUR OLD DAMN JOKES! Please…_

I didn't close the door, in the stupid hope that he might come rushing back to me. I trudged upstairs and entered the guest room.

_No…it isn't a guest room anymore. He's been living in this room long enough to claim it to his own. I can never think of this room as a guest room after it's been filled entirely with his essence. This scent of his is still lingering about, engulfing me, drowning me. It is corrupting me. Defiling me. Hurting me like hell._

I lumbered towards the bedside. There it was, a picture of us. I remembered heading back to the office after last weekend and that the first thing I did was to develop the pictures I had taken of him. He had packed his own photos into his luggage and left this one on the table. Screw him. It was…a picture of us.

_So…he doesn't care about us? He feels comfortable with leaving this one behind? Is this what he wants? Taunting me. Teasing me as if our friendship has never meant anything to him?_

I picked up the photo, my fingers tracing around the figures in the image.

_Why would he smile if he didn't like being around with me? Why would he let me take a selfie with him? Why would he wrap his arm around my shoulder? It just…doesn't sound right._

I was…about the leave the room when the picture slipped from my hands. It landed on the floor on its back. That is…when I saw those scribbled writings.

My heart froze. I froze. Completely petrified, I retrieved the photo and scanned through the handwriting. Over and over again. It said nothing more than a simple sentence. A sentence which I had been too vain to blurt out…

**_I love you._**

Without a second thought, I spun around and stormed out of the house.

_How foolish I am… All this time, I haven't even noticed his feelings. All this time, I have thought it's only me harboring an one-sided affection towards him. All this time, I am being such a wimp just because I'm scared that this is yet another experience of unrequited love._

_He isn't the coward._

_I am._

I was too frightened to face him. I could have demanded more from him, asking him to stay. And yet…I told him it was okay for him to leave.

_I must have hurt his feelings. Oh God, I've yet broken an innocent heart! How tactless I am. I'm so angry at myself. So angry that I want to punch myself._

I ran and ran. I had no idea how far Lifty had gone. I must catch up with him though. I must…

There he was. Standing outside the grocery store. He was taking a path that was in a completely opposite direction of his new apartment. I wondered where he was going. Nonetheless, I had no time to think. I was about to jog towards him when it happened. Handy was working on some construction halfway up the roof. A metal pipe carelessly escaped his grip. I knew accidents happen with unexplainable frequency in this town but witnessing them strikes my heart every time.

_It's not true that I'm not scared at all. _

_The thing I fear most is to see the one I love on the brink of death._

I wished more than anything else the pipe would stop falling. Yet, gravity is beyond my control. I, however, could fly towards Lifty and shove him out of the way.

_Just in time._

As miraculous as it seemed, I succeeded. I…succeeded in saving him! I had him in my arms, thrusting him against the wall. The pipe hit the ground with a boisterous sound. It rumbled like a thunder. We watched in terror as the metal struck a road sign and shattered into half.

"I'm so SORRY!" Handy shouted, panicking.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, but broken shards scattered everywhere. Some of them splashed against my face, cutting through my skin mercilessly. I buried Lifty in my arms to keep him from harm. I would, no matter what, shield him from every danger.

He was shuddering and mumbling something as he leaned against me. It took me a moment to realize he was shivering in fear.

_Oh no…is he feeling insecure in my arms? Did I happen to miss one shard and it has cut him?_

"Lifty, are you alright?" I asked instantly, examining his body for any apparent injuries. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

Lifty shook his head slightly and looked up. Only then did I catch sight of his tears. He pressed his lips together and squinted, his hands still shaking.

"Lifty…I…" I sighed, almost tearing up myself. "I'm sorry…I…should've arrived and saved you faster…I'm still a bad savior I guess…to have made you freak out like this."

"No…" The boy before me shook his head in denial. "It's not that…You don't understand…You shouldn't have come. You shouldn't have! You could have just let me die…"

I stared at Lifty in shock. His speech reminded me of how he kept struggling against my saving him when I first took him in. He had told me the same thing. He had asked me to let him die because his twin had ditched him.

"NO!" I yapped, hugging him tightly. "I'm not letting you die! I AM NOT."

"Why…Why are you doing this…"

Again, he asked me the very same question he had asked during our first foul encounter.

_Now…I finally realize the answer. I can respond to all his questions without qualms. _

_It's because…because…_

"Lifty, I love you. I don't want you to leave." I sniveled. "I want you to stay with me. Please…would you do that for me?"

After a minute of silence, Lifty growled and hugged me back.

"Damn you." He cussed. "Why didn't you say this earlier? I've been waiting for you to say it! Idiot. I've been waiting for so long. You know that? You're a brat. A jerk."

"Yes, I am." I said with a faint smile. I pulled away from him and slipped my hand into my pocket. "And I can't just let you go without giving this to you."

He gasped as I handed him the picture.

"It's a love letter, isn't it?" I smirked, pointing to his scribbled writings on the back of the photo.

"Ugh, fuck you!" Lifty pouted, wrapping his arms around my neck. His cheeks were burning red. "Stop teasing me already! Yes! YES! I wrote them! I love you, okay?"

"Okay." I smiled, contented. I nestled my head on his shoulder as he embraced me.

"I love you, Spencer." He cooed again, this time, in a more serious tone. "I really do. So I don't care what people think of us. I'll just let them mock us. I'll face all the teasing together with you. I want to stay with you until you kick me out of your house."

"Just so you know, I'll never kick you out of my house." I chuckled. "But yea, thank you for loving me. I love you, too, Lester."

_For once in my life, I have found someone whom I love and who will love me back._

_It seems that my decision to save this villain in the first place has turned out right._

_There's something he doesn't know though._

_I've always laid my eyes on him since we first met at school._

_I just knew I might be able to change him._

_I just knew it would be worth trying._

_After all, he's the one who truly gets through my heart._

_And now I know..._

_I love you. I seriously do._


	11. Epilogue

The front door was flung open. No sooner than hearing the bluenette enter the house, a frustrated growl caught Lifty's sensitive ears. He whirled around and glimpsed the living room, only to find Splendid sighing and stretching out his seemingly exhausted limbs.

"Splendid?" Lifty cooed, stepping out from the kitchen and staring at Splendid nervously.

"Yes, dear, I'm home."

Still not looking up at his boyfriend, Splendid threw himself onto the couch, crying slightly at the pain in his joint.

"Geez, what on earth happened?" Lifty dashed towards the bluenette, getting a detailed look at the bruises on his face. "Who did this to you?"

"It's nothing." Splendid smiled, wiping off some blood from his wounds. "Some jerk I bumped into this afternoon."

"Is it…Splendont?" Lifty asked, feeling a lump in his throat. For some reason, he loathed to see Splendid hurt, especially whenever he came home bleeding and pretending it was no big deal at all. It was natural for Lifty to feel dismayed because he was his lover.

"You guess right." Splendid giggled and sat up. Lifty was kneeling down by the hero's legs, perking up anxiously at the injured male. "He just...ugh, never leaves me alone! He came trying to pick a fight with me again today. That jerk never grows up. I mean, hell yea, we used to fight a lot as kids, but we have much more work to do and duties to carry now. He just doesn't understand it."

"Maybe he just wants some company?" Lifty hypothesized. He knew it from his own experience. Before he fell out with Shifty, their relationship did work that way. The two used to be pretty keen on attracting each other's attention. They could never spare a second of separation, let alone doing different things. If he hadn't met Splendid, Lifty supposed he would still be hanging around with Shifty now, despite all the shitty stuff his older brother had done to him.

"Tsk, company! He keeps provoking me and he dares say he wants me as a company." Splendid rolled his eyes. As he got more irritated, more blood squirted out from the cut across his cheek. Lifty bit his lips bitterly and rushed to treat his wounds.

"Did you fight with him today?" Lifty asked, carefully adjusting the position of a plaster covering Splendid's left cheek.

"No." Splendid shook his head and folded his arms. "I won't battle with him if it's fun that he's seeking. It's ridiculous and meaningless. The next thing I know, we will both lose control and wreck this town. I'm definitely not going to do that because…"

"Because?" Lifty cocked his brows, blinking naively at Splendid. The bluenette blushed and looked away. He was too shy to say that he was actually captivated by Lifty's gorgeous, green eyes which were glittering so passionately and seductively.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt." Splendid confessed. "There's no point of me fighting Splendont when we might accidentally destroy the entire town. I don't want to claim innocent lives. I have claimed enough, actually. Haha."

"It's okay." Lifty grinned, getting back up onto his feet. He slumped down on the couch beside Splendid. "If you just snub him, he's going to be very mad, I suppose."

"He is." Splendid shrugged. "But who cares? That idiot is always living in his own fantasy world. He seriously thinks being an adult still means he can do whatever he wants whenever and wherever to whoever. Darn, I have no time to deal with him. I ought to be the one mad at him."

"Oh, are you mad?" Lifty laughed softly, placing his hands on each side of Splendid's shoulders.

"Um…" The bluenette flushed again. He knew he could hardly be mad at someone for more than twenty minutes. And Lifty was well aware of that fact too.

"Ugh, don't tease me." Splendid pouted. "What I mean is…well…I'm not literally mad at him…but upset."

"Can I have the privilege to cheer you up?" Lifty smirked.

"Oh? What do you do this time?"

"It's a surprise." Lifty said. He stood up and headed towards the kitchen. Within seconds, he returned with a freshly baked spongy cake. Splendid glanced at the cake and then at his lover and finally back at the cake. His mouth gaped open.

"L-Lifty…did you just break my oven again?" Splendid asked suspiciously.

"Hey! Not this time!" Lifty sulked. "This is the best I can do! At least, show some appreciation. I spent a couple of hours on that."

Splendid watched the greenette snort and sit around the table, looking utterly annoyed and depressed. The cake looked overcooked but other than that, it was fine. Splendid, indeed, realized he couldn't compare Lifty's cooking skills to his. If Lifty hadn't loved him that much, he wouldn't even bother to go into trouble doing something he never fancied. For great instance, baking a cake.

"Hey…I didn't mean it's bad." Splendid purred, wrapping his arms around Lifty's neck from behind. "It's actually much better than the previous one. When I say 'much better', it means a hundred percentage new progress."

"Really. But you care about your damn oven more than what I offer you here." Lifty complained, at which Splendid laughed. He enjoyed seeing Lifty grumble like a child.

"That's not true. I don't care if you break my oven a thousand times. I was only joking." Splendid said and settled down at the table. He reached out for the cake but was immediately held back by Lifty.

"Wait. Don't eat it." Lifty murmured with a frown. "It's bad. It may taste worse than the first one. On second thought, I should dump this and try something better next time. It wouldn't be good if you get sick."

"I am not letting this go into the dustbin without taking a bite."

Although Splendid said so, it was more than one bite he took. He basically devoured everything. The taste was nothing special but it warmed his heart to notice how much effort Lifty had devoted into baking the small hot dessert. He wouldn't even mind getting sick because if he really did so, it would, again, be Lifty who nursed him.

"Well…are you feeling alright?" Lifty asked, examining Splendid's expressions carefully. Last time Splendid tried something Lifty cooked, he ended up getting stomache.

"Yes, why not?" Splendid cackled. "I said, it's much better than last time. I could just tell from its look."

"Really?"

"Yea… by the way, why are you so interested in cooking these days? It's…totally unlike you. And I thought you said earlier cooking is girlish."

"I used to cook for Shfity…actually." Lifty said sheepishly. "To be honest, he's the kind that complains without mercy. I had always wanted to improve my cooking."

"That's why you asked me to teach you how to cook properly?"

"NO! That's not it." Lifty declined and blushed. "I…I want to help you out sometimes. It's always you doing all the stuff. I guess I get more free time than you, so you don't really have to cook mornings and nights. That's what I…think…"

Splendid chuckled as Lifty's face turned aflame. He was hesitating so much in his speech that there was no way Splendid could ignore his cuteness. He had always known this former thief possessed a secret effeminate side but he didn't expect it to be so explicit. As they spent more time living together, Lifty's softness became more and more obvious. From shyness to boldness and from denial to confession, he was showing increasing affections towards Splendid with each passing day. Before long, Lifty was acting just like his mate, always craving for attention when feeling solitary, always longing for condolence when feeling distressed. It was either a one-sided influence from Splendid or a mutual dependence developed between the two. They were getting weaker in front of the one they loved but at the very same time growing stronger as well.

Gently, Splendid patted on Lifty's head and smiled. "That's really sweet of you, Lifty. But I don't want you to do everything for me. I want to be the one doing more."

"You're right…" Lifty sighed. "I always mess things up…"

"Lifty, nobody's perfect."

"I'm way too far from perfection. Pathetic, I know." The former thief debased himself modestly.

"No, you're not."

"I wish I could be more like you…" Lifty admitted. "So good at everything…"

"If you were me, you might not be happy." Splendid laughed, cradling his partner. "Lifty, I don't love what you can do and hate what you can't. I love the whole of you. Whether you're good at something or not, whether you're perfect or flawed, I still like the way you are. I love both the good and the bad sides of you. If you're good at everything, I will be jealous. I won't be able to tease you then. And it won't be the Lifty I love either."

"Ugh, teasing me. You're so mean." Lifty grunted.

"I'm only doing the same thing you always do." Splendid taunted. "If you advance in everything, it will give me no reason to pamper and take care of you, right?"

"I…guess so." Lifty tittered. "You do enjoy always being the top of everything, don't you?"

"Well…call me vain. I don't care. If I can't be the best, how am I supposed to look after the one I love and cherish most?"

Lifty gawked at the bluenette, amazed. Splendid's words mesmerized him so much that he felt his heart melting at every single letter. The hero merely smiled timidly with a fiery face. He was fidgeting with his hands but he looked more sincere than ever. He was only speaking the truth though. If there was one thing he wanted most in this world, it was for him to witness his mate happy every second of his life.

"You're…" Lifty stuttered. "making me guilty again!"

"Am I?"

"Yes!" Lifty yelled, his eyes getting watery. "Why do you always treat me so well? Nobody did. No one has ever done before. And it…it's…making me glad and sad at the same time…screw you…"

"Haha, screw me all you want then." Splendid hugged the greenette tighter, quelling his sobbing noise. "I'm here to give you my whole life."

"Don't ever leave me. Don't abandon me like my brother did." Lifty blubbered.

"I won't. Will never do so."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

Peacefully, the two boys walked back the couch. Splendid sat down first, letting Lifty join him and lay his head on his lap. The bluenette smiled and ruffled his mate's hair. The former thief shut his eyes merrily and began to take yet another beautiful afternoon nap with the boy he loved most on earth.

Peeking through the glass window, an outsider cussed with soaring rage. He glared at the two kissing males. Clenching his fists indignantly, he turned around and stomped away from the house, his lips curving into an ever so vengeful and devilish smile.


End file.
